Eclipse of Dusk
by Hseru
Summary: Warriors for hire, Heero Yuy and Wufei Chang have just been given one of the most difficult assignments of their life. Magic, dragons, and an uncertain chain of events leads up to something no one expected...Warnings: battle scenes, Shounen ai 1x2 3x4
1. Chapter 1

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power.

Chapter 1

Cobalt blue eyes reflecting the flickering light of the camp fire, and unruly dark brown hair casting strange shadows against the darkness, Heero Yuy was lost in his own thoughts as he stood the first watch of the night. Or sat it, as the case currently was. Seated at the foot of a large water oak, he was somewhat comfortable leaning back against the rough bark, ready for the several sleepless hours to come. Dressed for what seemed like months in the same, dirty outfit, he wore dark colors, perfect for camouflage. A cloak with a hood hid the sheath of the sword slung on his back, the hilt normally coming up over his left shoulder like an obedient snake ready to strike when need be, and at the moment laid across his knees for easier access should the need arise.

Across the rising heat of the fire, his eyes alighted upon the sleeping figures of his companions on this crazy journey. Wufei Chang, master of the Ni Batou Ryu, or double sword style, and traveling companion to Heero, and Quatre Rebarba Winner, a second class mage who'd been ordered into his current position by 'higher authority'.

That evening, the two had fallen asleep quickly, despite the fact that Chang was a light sleeper. This journey was beginning to take it's toll on the three of them, and the evidence was showing more clearly each day.

This in mind, Heero's thoughts wandered back to little over two weeks ago, when himself and Wufei had first arrived in the city of Havrel. There hadn't even been a real reason for them to be there. Their last job was done, and they had come to the port city for a bit of relaxation.

They strolled into the large town with weapons on their shoulders, their war horses and themselves alike dusty from the far traveling and dry weather, a fresh pouch of money available for use at the nearest inn that could afford hot water baths. It wasn't long, however, not even a full two days, before a messenger was sent from the High Lord of Havrel saying that their services were desperately needed and would be heavily paid for. Even having not been in the city for some time, Heero was not too surprised that word of their arrival had reached so far so fast.

He sighed slightly. 

Though thinking himself a warrior for hire was not the most glamorous, or as Wufei put it, most honorable position, still, it enabled them to live and live decently well at that. Specializing in the removal of certain beasts of the wild and magic nature, they'd handled everything from Ogres to Salamanders to an overpopulation of redcaps. Creepy little things those were. They killed people, animals, pretty much anything with red blood so that they could dip their little pointed hats in the still warm fluid to renew the crimson color, hence their given name. The two of them had even taken out an over large were-beast living too close to a village whose population was all too quickly decreasing because of it.

However, they'd never handled anything quite as big as the High Lord of Havrel put before the two of them. Just north of the main trade routes to the Eastern continent, a dragon, black a night, was killing nearly everything that passed through its newly appropriated territory. 

They were having a hard time keeping trade between the cities up, and it was beginning to damage Havrel's revenue, not to mention the delicate balance of peace that had been achieved bwteen the countries not too much earlier. Surprised that news of this had not spread throughout the entire kingdom, they learned that Havrel's lord, and the other nobles were trying to keep it under wraps, and take care of it as soon as possible. If not, it was feared that the antics of the beast might be blamed on one side or another, and a war would be brought about unwillingly against both sides.

They, however, had not sent any men to try and kill the beast. Instead, they wished for someone with no connection to their city to act, and hiring such a someone was readily possible. 

This is where Heero and Wufei came in. Their abilities, such as they were, had been spread far just by word of mouth alone. Wufei was said to be able to down a troll in ten seconds flat, while Heero's abilities were less widely known, though just as talked about. He was the one who had finalized their kill on the Salamander, a fourteen foot long creature of flame and anger. If you've ever had a volcano attempt to crisp you alive, then you were close to experiencing a salamander's ability to burn and burn well. Though how it was done was not known, the fact that the beast was found lifeless after Heero's work was a major point in any way the story was told.

The both of them had high misgivings about it. The High Lord didn't want to get himself messed into this, so there was something else he wasn't telling them. To add to that, he'd brought them the young Quatre, right hand apprentice to the court mage. Why he'd offered the little blonde's services was still a questionable mystery, as any and all dragons were immune to most magics, and that fact was widely known. Still, he'd insisted they take the proffered help, and the two hesitantly agreed to the daunting task, as the profit gained from completing it would have been enough for the both of them to retire for pretty much the rest of both their lives. 

So, a mere six days after entering the city, the newly formed three had headed for the northern trade routes.

Now, nearly a solid week later, they were no closer to achieving their goal. Moving on and around the trade route, they'd found several burnt remains of what looked to be merchant wagon trains, but there was no sign of anything human living. Nor, to their surprise, was there sign of the dragon. Ferocious as it had sounded, attacking every living thing crossing these ways, they had expected to be set upon on the first day. The third eventless night passed, and they'd resorted to searching for the beast, deciding that finding it unawares was much more to their advantage than the other way around.

And that brought them to the current happenings. Aimlessly searching such a vast area was beginning to wear at them, and an early night was decided upon to keep their strength up. Heero had elected himself the first watch of the night, as he felt no real weariness, and after a small, hot meal of cooked rabbit, the other two had retired for the night.

They had tethered the horses a short distance away, both the warriors' destriers and the mage's fleet Arabian, and they munched contentedly on the lush grass they were able to reach on the several feet of tether afforded each of them.

Their soft whickering reached him over the low crackling of the fire, as well as those of his sleeping companions. The small mage, during this time, had endeared himself to the other two by no real action on his own part. He had a bright, cheery personality that had managed to dredge some life out of the other two, even so far into their search, and the three had grown to be quite good friends, though one could not tell simply from watching them. Quatre could sweet talk a mad bear into allowing him to pet it, as Wufei had so artistically put it.

The young blond mage was supposed to be capable of a high degree of magic as well as having a likeable personality. He knew the two warriors were skeptical that he had any real help to offer, but as he refrained from using magic needlessly, there was no real way to show them until his aid was needed.

Said blond mumbled in his sleep, and turned his face towards the fire, the flames casting a deep red hue to his childlike face.

And what about the Sword's Master, Wufei? Him and Heero had met more by circumstance than anything. Wufei was master of the Ni Batou Ryu, a style of swordsmanship that required years upon end to completely master. One was given the title of Master when the apprentice could beat his own sensei. Then a pair of swords were forged from the finest and hardest tempered steel then known to man, completely fitted to the new master, blessed in fire and in blood before ceremoniously bequeathed unto him. 

The young, dark haired warrior had completed the arduous training required in a remarkably short nine years, beginning when he was five and continuing until he'd finished a mere four years ago and earned his own twin blades. Those hard times had bred him into a silent, inward thinking young man who didn't have much to do with anything or anybody. Honor was his life, and he'd strived to live by the codes set down in the Ni Batou Ryu. That same honor bound devotion was how he'd met Heero.

A year and a half after he'd received his own blades, Wufei was chartered to be a body guard for a high noble who feared an assassination attempt would soon occur. Even though Wufei's training included everything there was to know about death, he still was unable to stop the noble from taking foolish chances which eventually wound up killing him. Somehow, the widow managed to pin the blame on the sword master, and he was thrown into jail. Of course, not until after he'd thoroughly beaten down several of the palace guards without seriously injuring a single one was he taken to the lower dungeons, shouting "Injustice!" the entire way.

Heero, at the time himself a guard in the place, had seen and heard all the transpired, and began to think that such a one as this Wufei Chang should not be held prisoner for simply trying to do what he was hired for. So, doing what he did best, Heero stole the dungeon keys, and freed the sword master that same night, an uncharacteristic thing for him to do, as duty was what he first served. However, he had not regretted what at the time he'd began to think of as a foolish and ill placed attempt at escape.

Neither one not really people for much talk in the first place, they had seemed to suit each other immediately, taking their cues simply from hand signals and eye movement one would shoot the other. They were out and gone from the place before the alarm was even raised, and managed to collect their current mounts from so gracious a host before doing so.

Later, they'd agreed on working together, and had been doing so ever since, creating the perfect killing pair.

Heero's eyes moved from across the fire to the closer side, cobalt blue falling on the sword on his own lap.

Heero was a soldier, plain and simple. He'd been trained, as Wufei, from a very young age, but he'd not been able to continue with it after the 'accident'. It happened on the eve of his fifteenth birthday, and had completely screwed his life over. If fact, he'd not been able to continue with normal life period. His entire understanding of the world had been turned completely upside down. He was shunned from the academy he was enrolled in, and his adopted parents refused to let him anywhere near the lands he would have inherited when he came of age. That's why he wandered, doing these odd jobs that the occasional person in need of protection required, for a fee of course. He didn't tell people what he was when they hired them, and they never questioned the seemingly normal looking young man trained to kill if need be. And yes, he had killed, but he did not relish the fact.

A sudden noise out in the inky black that surrounded the flickering light of the small camp fire brought Heero's awareness back to the here and now, silently cursing himself for getting so lost in the past. It didn't matter any more, or so he told himself over and over again.

Now, his eyes narrowed slightly as he peered out into the night, cobalt orbs piercing the darkness with a clarity that rivaled a feline's night time abilities. The slight sound came again as he listened, and had probably been going on for some time. Heero had just been too preoccupied to hear it. He cursed himself again, and saw a flash of eyes some distance away from their camp spot.

Something was out there....

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Ok, here's the story. I ran away for a while, and came back with this idea. I have about half of the second chapter written, but I require reviews to keep my limited amount of inspiration alive! 

Review, review!


	2. Chapter 2

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power.

Chapter 2  


Slowly, and silently, Heero moved around the fire to where Wufei slept. The eyes were visibly gone, but he could still feel them watching him from all around. It was all together unnerving; he didn't know how many of them there were, whatever they were.

Kneeling beside Wufei, he whispered the sleeping warrior's name, just loud enough to bring him from that sleep.

He could feel Wufei tense under the restraining hand Heero'd laid on his shoulder as his eyes snapped open, but didn't protest as the look they exchanged explained all it needed to. Getting to his knees, Wufei slipped his twin blades soundlessly from their sheaths as Heero moved to wake Quatre. 

Unsure as to how the little mage would react to being woken so abruptly, Heero placed a hand over his mouth as he shook him awake, immediately forcing Quatre's eyes to meet his, and realize it was Heero, so he wouldn't struggle. Removing the hand, Heero then lifted it to his lips, signaling silence. Quatre nodded, laying a hand on the smooth, six foot long birch bark staff he kept always on his person, and which had been resting beside him as he slept. The top was fitted with a fist sized clear crystal with a jet of deep blue running through its center, though at the moment he kept it down as Heero hurriedly explained what was happening in as short a way as possible. The little blond nodded his understanding, and prepared himself for rapid-fire spell usage should it come to that.

Heero could still feel the eyes on him while they did this, and it caused the hairs on the back of his neck to prickle uncontrollably. He vaguely wondered what would be so foolish as to stay while they prepared to defend themselves. Even though they moved with unmatched stealth, they had already been spotted. It was a mystery he hoped to soon solve.

Then, as if the thing watching had suddenly vanished, the feeling disappeared. Heero blinked, eyes once again piercing the darkness for any sign of the thing, or things.

Nothing.

The three of them spread around their camp site, careful to keep within both sight and hearing distance. Each one of them came back empty handed. There were no tracks, no traces of anything there, but even Wufei trusted Heero's sharp instincts, and knew the rest of the night would pass sleepless. 

Now wide awake, the three of them settled next to the fire again, adding more wood to keep it bright and cheery despite the coldly quiet night around them.

"What was it?" Quatre asked quietly, first to break the unnatural hush that had gathered over them and the area.

"Hn.... not sure...." Heero replied with a grunt, eyes still scanning the darkness.

"Something that suddenly became afraid of us in the end..." Wufei said, eyes switching between the outer forest and the two others.

"What do you mean? How could you tell?" The little mage asked.

"...You can smell fear." The dark haired warrior answered.

…

The next day, the three of them searched once again for traces of what had visited them the night before, but again, nothing was found. Whatever it had been, it was damn stealthy.

Something else that had bothered Heero, was the fact that the horses had not reacted at all to whatever it had been. Checking on the beasts had revealed them silently standing grouped together, half asleep. No panic, no nervous shifting. Nothing to denote that they were afraid in any way. 

It was just another disconcerting thing to add to their rapidly growing list of uncertainties.

The task of rolling up the blankets and repacking the saddle bags was undertaken quickly, and they set out to be away from the place before night again found them.

All during the morning, the three of them would periodically be seen shifting to look in odd directions, to an outward observer they would look extremely paranoid, but each felt eyes upon them more than once, and it was an uncomfortable feeling they'd rather have remedied, even if it meant facing their follower or followers.

It was some time around midday when they actually caught sight of what followed them. Entering a rather large copse of aspen trees, Heero leading at the front, Quatre in the center, and Wufei bringing up the rear, Heero's destrier was suddenly brought up short by the appearance, as if by magic, of a tall, willowy man aiming a powerful longbow at them. Quatre and Wufei reigned in their mounts when they saw he'd stopped, and found themselves flanked by several other tall young men aiming longbows at them. Before fear gripped his heart, Quatre marveled at the strength doubtless required to pull those thick yew bows, then he curbed his thoughts and tried to ready a spell for defense against such weapons.

He suddenly found an arrow practically three inches from his chest as one of the men moved forward, a brunette tall enough to do such a thing without aiming way upwards. A single crystal evergreen eye peered warily up at him, the other supposed eye covered by a brace of bangs that stuck out awkwardly against gravity.

"I would advise against that." Was all he said in a naturally lilting tone, and the little mage nodded, gulping slightly. Inside, he wondered how the man could see to aim his bow, much less with the accuracy his stance belied.

Heero's eyes never left the man in front of him. Elf, he mentally corrected himself, now noticing the slight tilt of the clear crystalline eyes, and the pointed ears that stuck delicately from the thick mane of pale blonde hair. No wonder the horses had not reacted to their presence. Even if they had been sensed, elves had a calming air that made them part of the natural demesnes they traversed. It would have seemed like no more than a passing animal of the forest to the mounts.

"What business have you here?" Came the chiming tones of the elf before him.

"The trade routes are open to all who wish to pass them, are they not?" Heero replied starchly.

"Aye, that they are, but you are not traders, and they are the only ones still willing to pass this way." An obviously distrustful tone was there.

"Hn..."

"True, we are no traders, but we still have free passage of this way." Wufei spoke up from the back, highly annoyed at this untimely interruption. 

"There has been word passed through that spies are sneaking into the Eastern lands while this dragon holds sway over the routes." The elf said, coming straight and almost painfully to the point. "How know we that you are not these spies? Soldiers, as I take you to be with your weaponry and aid of a trained mage, have no business simply passing through."

"We aren't spies...." Quatre spoke up, spooked by such an accusation to do so.

"We were sent by the Lord of Havrel to destroy the dragon you speak of." Heero said in a tone that would normally have brooked no argument, though at best it was only persuasive when it was plied against an elf.

Still distrustful, the lead elf did, however, order the lowering of his contingent's bows, and a score of arrows were simultaneously un-nocked and stored away in full quivers upon the back of each elf, though there was no doubt in anyone's mind that they could be brought to bear again at a moment's notice.

"What luck has two humans and a mage against the likes of one of the most powerful dragons living?" The elf asked pointedly. 

The slight look of surprise, or as close to surprise as the stoic Heero could manage, told them that this was news to the three.

"How do you know this?" Wufei asked, taking the lead.

"Tis a black dragon." The elf replied, as if that should answer everything. At the blank looks he received, he guessed he would have to explain. Stupid humans.

"Know you nothing of dragons?" He began in a churlish tone. "When a dragon is hatched, they are as colorful as the rainbow, but as they age, their colors grow simpler, to more solid colors, and often deeper in hue. The older a dragon, the more solid the color, and the more devastatingly powerful they become. This dragon you foolishly seek to bring down is solid black. There is no other powerful as it now living in this plane of existence."

Quatre's eyes got round at this, as he was the only one of the three of them that seemed capable of showing emotion.

Heero nodded grimly, shooting a glance back at Wufei, who nodded his silent agreement. They had felt something was not right in these circumstances, and this had to be some part of it. No one in their sane mind would willingly go after something so powerful, but the two of them were not necessarily known for their rational sanity either, so it was absurdly fitting.

The elf had watched the silent exchange, reading some part of it, but neither of them knew how deep as they angled their attention back to him.

"So you say you were sent by Havrel's Lord?" He asked to clarify. Heero nodded in reply. The elf paused, as if thinking of the possibilities to himself, then he resumed. "I feel the need to tell you that we too are on hunt for this dragon. The Eastern countries are feeling the pinch of the trade problems, and they feared that Havrel or one of the other Westerners could have had some small part with it's newly chosen homestead. So they sent us as the necessary task force."

Heero raised a brow, his only response.

"We, however, have a plan of action for driving the beast away, and have no intention of killing it unless it can't be reasoned with."

"Reasoned with?" Quatre spoke up in confusion. "Surely you don't think to parley with it?"

The elf angled cold blue eyes to the blonde mage. "Dragons are wise far beyond our understanding. With their age also comes advanced understanding. There have been documented times when a dragon has simply been appeased enough for it to be asked to leave. We do not know if this one will be willing to give up such a prosperous holding, but if so then there is no reason to kill such a wondrous thing. There are so few left to begin with, the lessening of their race by this one, if it can even be accomplished, would be devastating." He narrowed his eyes in emphasis. "Humans and other glory seekers such as yourselves have nearly whipped out their grandeur, attacking the young and vulnerable ones that have not grown into their ability for understanding."

Heero and the other two digested this new bit of information. Then he spoke up.

"Just how old do you think this dragon to be?"

The elf looked over at him.

"At least and probably more than three thousand years old...."

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Woo! Chapter two, and the inspiration's still running strong. Pray that it lasts, and I might actually complete a story!

Thank you to all those who reviewed for me!! ^_^ They really make me feel loved and ready to continue writing.

A quick after note, all my next chapters might not be up quite so fast, but I'm writing in such a way that I have a good bit (almost all at the moment) of the next chapter written before I post the next one. Ok, that's all.

Review, Review!!


	3. Chapter 3

And now, my thanks and answers to those who reviewed ^_^ 

To caley, alu, neko, merlyn, icyflame, j, dyna, sophie, hikaru, kerwin inuyasha, akennea, aryante, and katie....

Domo arigatou minna san!!! *glomps you all*

as for neko's question, fear has a scent, like sweat, or sex. Wuffers could smell it on the wind basicly, and that's why he figured whatever was out there had been at least somewhat afraid.

Hope that answers your question. If not, you can fwap me with a stick or something for being a relative of the braided baka (and I was at one time. Had a good yard of hair I did, all blond.^^)

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power.

Chapter 3

The elves settled down to camp an hour before the sun set in a thick growth of forestry that effectively blocked out most of the sky. Efficient in every way, their camp was set up in a double ring, with four elves awake and alert at anytime that would patrol the perimeters during their watch. Their numbers adding up to a total of twelve elvish warriors, this meant that there was an ample number guard over the rest, approximately one third to assure the best should they be attacked. Besides, there was almost nothing alive that could sneak up on an elf.

Though still somewhat wary, as most elves tended to be naturally, the lead elf, what one might call a Captain of the guard in the battlements of a normal garrison, whom had introduced himself as Milliardo, had invited the three to settle with the elvish hunting party for the night as recompense for misjudging and setting upon them so abruptly. 

The elves had steeds themselves, allowing them to move as quick as any other small war party, but these were the type of horses the elvish kind desired, gifted with an intelligence above that of the average mount. These 'Illians', as the elves called them, had been corralled some distance away from where they had set up the ambush, and by corralled, the beasts had simply been told to wait until their return. Long legged, sinewy, and sleekly colored beyond what a brushing could do for any horse, the Illians were majestic in themselves, with eyes that were liquid and of all the colors the human mind could come up with.

The elves set up three camp fires quickly in the center of the double circle, and the accompanying bedrolls around each one, enough food brought out for both their stomachs and those of their guests, though Heero denied the necessity for such a needy gesture.

"We have all the rations we require." Was his argument, but the tall blond elf would hear nothing of it, and as the hospitality of the elvish was not something to be questioned, Heero grudgingly agreed to the show of friendship.

The tall brunette elf from earlier came over to the three companions with a large armload of wood as they worked with their own fire, having insisting upon doing it themselves despite current happenings. Though not in the center of the double circle, the sentries' circuits were widened to encompass their small addition to the war party. 

"If you desire help, you need merely ask." He said in a low, clear voice as he laid the wood beside their already growing bit of flame. "I will be back with your dinner as it finishes."

"You really needn't do that." Quatre spoke up, looking to the short haired elf. The other two paused in their actions to watch what transgressed. With a smile that was half there, half not, as if it were not used to being in place, the elf didn't capitulate.

"Tis to repay our earlier treatment of you. I am afraid in such times, caution is warranted in all situations. I personally apologize for frightening you so badly when we first met." The elf replied quietly, his single visible eye flashing emerald in the growing firelight. The little mage shook his head slowly in reply. 

"It's ok, you were just doing what you had to to protect yourselves. Really, you don't have to serve us like this.....but if you must, can we know the name of one of our hosts so as to thank him?" The blond asked, pulling all of his polite charm into the question. The elf flashed that small, secretive smile again, and nodded.

"I am Trowa. Trowa Barton." He said, then moved away from them to tend to his own beautiful Illian the color of cherry wood. The mount had the most wonderfully deep green eyes. They matched those of its rider almost perfectly.

"...Thank you, Trowa Barton." The blond mage murmured as he watched the elf go, then turned back to the penetrating eyes of his companions. He frowned slightly.

"What?" He asked, feeling as if he was under an interrogation light.

Wufei met Heero's eyes, then they both broke contact at the same time after the passed message and continued with what they'd previously been doing, Wufei meticulously cleaning and honing his twin blades as he did every night, Heero rolling out the blankets they would sleep upon. Quatre pouted a bit, annoyed despite himself at the closedmouth-ness of his friends. It could get on even his bad side every now and again.

...

It was during the middle of Wufei's watch, as the three had not quit the time old habit merely because there were more watchers, that he heard something prowling around the outskirts of the camp. There was more than one flash of silveron eyes as he watched the stealthy movements. His back was to the fire, which was now reduced to glowing coals, so that his eyes could pierce the darkness better without the residual blank spots of unaccustomed pupils. Slowly, and silently, with his eyes and ears open, he slid a long narrow sword from its sheath, and prepared to go forward, when a light hand on his arm stayed his movements.

Shooting a glare over his shoulder, he found the brunette elf again there, Trowa, was his name. The elf shook his head silently.

"....Worry not. We have the aid of a pack of silver wolves. They merely prowl the darkness in search of danger." He said quietly, to not wake the others. Though he didn't relax, Wufei did re-sheath his sword, the faint metallic rasp silencing the movements around the sleeping camp.

"Why are you 'prowling' about us?" Wufei abruptly asked, annoyed. He didn't trust the elf, but then again, he didn't trust anybody.

The elf didn't seem surprised at the question. He had probably been expecting such from the keen warrior. "Milliardo wants me to see that you are...watched...for the night. He knows, from what the wolves told us, that you sensed their presence earlier, something not even natural animals can do. He feared you might do something drastic..." He glanced pointedly at the sheath resting in the dark haired warrior's hand.

Wufei did not let his slight surprise show. These wolves where what had watched them from the dark. That they were helping the elves did not negate the fact that they were creatures Heero and himself would normally have been called upon to dispose of. Though he would never have admitted it, it was disconcerting that they were trusting themselves to these beasts.

Trowa's emerald gaze rose upwards. It was not as widely known that a special ability elves possessed was that at any time, anywhere, they knew the position of the stars, moon, and sun, so there was never an issue that they could lose time, or get lost themselves. Even with the canopy covering the sky overhead, his eyes seemed to cover the sky in seconds, reading the constellations.

"There are only two candlemarks left before sunrise." He murmured, looking back at Wufei. "Why don't you sleep? I'll continue to keep watch."

Wufei stubbornly shook his head, and crossed his arms across his chest. The elf tilted his head to the side, then nodded without speaking again, and stood from the crouch he'd used to get to the dark haired warrior, moving away from their small circle. Wufei watched him go with some sense of unease.

...

The morning dawned bright and early, and the elves showed the same efficiency they had the evening before, passing around food for a quick and simple breakfast, then repacking their light saddlebags to stow on the backs of the Illians. The creatures stood steady as this was done, occasionally tossing their heads, long manes leaning away from the tendency to tangle, and falling loose and light to the sides of their necks once they settled. Long tails flicked almost playfully at their riders, the intelligence they were bred and known for shining in their eyes.

The three companions couldn't help but watch at times, but were a good match for the speed and efficiency of the elves when it came to setting forth from camp. They were ready when Milliardo called for the elves to mount up.

Nudging his mount, a dusty gray Illian with light blue eyes, over to the three who had mounted as well, the long haired elf gave them a proposition.

"I would invite you to join our party." The elf began. "Working together, despite that we were given orders from different sources, we will have better luck with our mutual objective." He paused, awaiting their answer.

Heero had doubts about it, but it did seem to be a large step towards accomplishing their goal. Glancing at Wufei, the warrior gave a slight incline of his head. A look towards Quatre showed the same assent in the little mage. Facing the elf again, Heero nodded.

"We graciously accept your generous offer." He said, very diplomatically, yet not smoothly as if the words did not come naturally to him.

The blond elf gave a slight smile.

"Good." And then he proceeded to lay out his plans for approaching the dragon's resting place.

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*flashes a 'V'* Teehee ^_^ Chapter number three!! I am on a roll with this one!

Review, Review!!


	4. Chapter 4

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power. 

Chapter 4

The plan.

Half of the elvish party would approach where they had scouted the dragon resting at. It was very dragon-ish, if there was really such a description. A rocky crag that rose from the lowlands and would eventually continue up into the mountainous Northern Reaches that bordered the north of both the Eastern and Western lands. It was treacherous footing at the best of times, and speed was in essence here for them to be able to catch the dragon at rest, if it was there at all. Which was why only one of the three whom had so recently joined the party would be going.

Wufei, being the one with the highest degree of ability when it came to sheer endurance, was chosen to accompany the elves.

It took three days of traveling to reach the place, as they neither rushed, nor tried to wear themselves down with unnecessary speed before hand. They suspected that all their strength would be needed for what lay ahead.

The nights were surprising easy, and restful. As Wufei had informed Heero about the silver wolves, he approached the subject with Milliardo, who assured him that these were not the same as those among wolf kind the stories little children were warned of were from.

Having given a guttural warble of sorts that such a throat would be scarce thought able to utter, the tall elf had called to the darkness, and a large wolf had materialized from the night shadows like a thing of mist.

"This is their pack leader, called Windshade in their own tongue." Milliardo had said, introducing the creature.

Not named 'silver wolves' for naught, the majestic creature's white gray fur had a dark silveron sheen to it that rippled when in motion. Silver eyes gifted with the spark of intelligence latched onto Heero's cobalt blue orbs as the wolf sat back on its haunches to gaze proudly at the soldier. And indeed, when sitting, the wolf came even with Heero's head, able to look him in the eye with no more than a shift of the head. Powerful looking jaws that were somewhat narrower than the average wolf's sported a single elongated pair of canines that peeked out from under the top lip, and were now pulled back in a wolfish grin that didn't seem all that menacing, despite appearances. It's long, lithe form was more reminiscent to a feline's than the solid sturdy muscle of a wolf, but the shape was there none the less. A long, somewhat bushy tail combined with the over large ears could spell out to even the most stupid of creatures what emotions were being conveyed behind those seemingly laughing eyes.

Now, ears up and tail giving an artificial wag, the silveron wolf gave a slow nod, which turned into a solemn bow, his noble head dipping past Heeros waist in respect. The blue eyed soldier returned the bow with a nod of his head, slight surprise on his face.

Then, turning on its haunches, the wolf again melted into the night to give a somewhat more comforting presence to the darkness than before. That they would always be there, watching, was almost comforting, if it had not been unnerving.

Another odd presence the three had to wonder about, was that of the green eyed elf, Trowa. He'd given to supping with them, often in companionable silence, but ever and anon close to Quatre. The little mage, surprisingly, didn't find his attendance unnerving in the least, but rather enjoyed the quiet aura he pervaded. And quiet was a bit of an understatement. Their first meeting must have startled him out of a life of silence, because he returned to it afterwards. The little blond had a time trying to get him to say anything, and after a day of tireless effort, sullenly added him to the growing list of acquaintances he kept that had no verbal abilities. It didn't seem to bother him too much though, and those days he could be found, often enough, trying to strike up a conversation while riding beside him on his white Arabian, or simply basking in the elf's quiet presence.

The day they reached the outskirts of the dragon's lair, however, everything and everybody tensed up. 

Warning all of his riders against anything that might look or seem threatening, Milliardo reigned in his Illian, and dropped lithely to the ground. Gathering his party about him, he sketched out the current events.

"I don't want anyone to try anything foolish, do you understand me?" He questioned sharply. "This dragon already knows we're here, and we are trespassing on its territory. If we make it angry, there's no telling what would happen." At the somber faces of the elves and men surrounding him, the blond elf guessed that he'd gotten his point across.

"Ok. Get ready to move out."

Dismounting, the group tethered all of the mounts, including the Illians, and prepared for what was to come. Securely strapping his swords to his back, Wufei moved to join those going up, a group of the most able bodied elves of the party, which included Trowa.

Settling themselves in an almost enclosed outcropping of thick stone, the rest of the party watched as the seven bodies fought their way up the sheer looking cliff face with the aid of rock clamps, and the ability of each individual.

Quatre held himself poised to use a spell should the need arise, or one of them slip, but they all safely reached the rather large, flat outcropping of rock that created the entrance to the deep crevice the dragon resided in. Despite the fact that it was not the cliché cave that only the naïve believed true dragons lived in, it was damn close, which was beyond odd. No respectable dragon would truly nest in a filthy, damp cave. They were more apt to carve themselves a simple hollow out of the living rock with their diamond claws, someplace that was merely flat and comfortable to lie, up on high so that it was easier to launch themselves upon the roads of the vast blue.

Nearing the cleft of stone, the party of elves and a single man slid out of sight and into the dimmed darkness of the living rock.

...

Wufei's eyes adjusted quickly as they entered the darkened light. Though the blue sky could be seen far overhead, most of the sunlight was blocked from reaching the far flung ground. The air was chilly, and the faint, acrid scent of sulfur reached their noses as they moved along.

The ground was smooth, almost polished, and the sword master realized that passage of a large creature roughly over the rock would eventually hone it down to silken smoothness. Since the time the creature had lived there was so short, one could only surmise that it was big, incredibly so. The walls began to show a similar sheen as they went further, deep furrows dug into the hard granite of the walls and floors.

Despite the fact that all their senses were open and alert, none of the group could even tell if the dragon was present. The swift resonance of wind running through the passage hid any other sounds, and such a large beast would be felt moving, what with how the granite under their feet was apt to enhance any and all vibrations.

They finally came to a widening in the passage, where the semi close walls backed quickly away from the center path. There was nothing there. No evidence of the dragon could be seen other than the scratched ground and the heavy smells that permeated the air. A musky animal scent that seemed sharper, more clean, and the acidic sulfur.

Then, one of the elves signaled to the group that he'd found something. Or rather, someone, as they cautiously moved about the still figure on the ground. All that could be clearly seen was the disarray of the clothes on a thin body, and the long mass of what looked to be brown hair flowing from its head and over its body in messy loops.

Moving forward, Wufei knelt, and gently turned what he assumed to be female over on its back, and promptly held back a slight gasp.

Instead of a girl, this was a young man...

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Buddy-O!! Hey, who didn't see this coming? And I wonder who that mysterious longhaired guy is? *Whispers* shhh...its a secret...

I dedicate this chapter to all those whom begged me to write in a certain character….Merry Christmas ^_^

*dances the dance of the braided bakas* (he's my favorite char too, to those of you who said the same)

Tell me if I should keep going so I won't feel unloved!

Review, Review!!


	5. Chapter 5

*glomps everyone who reviewed.* I wuv you all!!

You have no idea how much of a boost it is to know people enjoy my writing, unless you are an author yourself. Then you completely understand ^^

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power. 

Chapter 5

Looking into the heart shaped face framed with chestnut hair, Wufei's curiosity was peaked at the young man's presence in the lair of a dragon. His clothes, such as they were, were tattered, and just enough to afford the unconscious youth a bit of modesty. Around his neck, was a thick, heavy iron collar that had severely abraded the pale skin beneath it, causing the flesh to become red and inflamed, possibly even so far as to leave scars.

Other than the hurts caused by the collar though, there were no other apparent wounds on the youth, not even bruising, and that puzzled the dark warrior even more.

Glancing around at the elves surrounding him, he easily picked the youth up, as he weighed near nothing, and waited for them to proceed. Trowa moved over to him.

"Are you sure this is wise?" The elf asked quietly. "You do not know why he is here. Moving him could have dire consequences."

Wufei shrugged off Trowa's warning.

"I'm not leaving him here in this place." He replied gruffly, angling a glare at the elf, who backed off the subject.

After a quick, yet thorough search of the interior cavern, the elves moved back from the dank place, wanting to be gone before the absent dragon decided to come back with them unawares inside its lair. It would doubtless know they had been there, but that could not be helped at the moment. It was more of a risk to be caught still inside when the beast returned.

Upon reaching the free clean air of the open world again, the elves stopped momentarily to allow their eyes to readjust, then set to the long climb back down.

Now, Wufei stopped to wonder just how he was going to get the youth down the cliff face, when Trowa approached him with the answer, and a length of rope. Strapping the youth's body to his own, Wufei paused long enough to pray to his god that the youth did not wake before they reached bottom. A flailing body could make climbing difficult, to say the least.

...

From their vantage point, the other half of the war party could see the group making their way carefully back down the cliff face. The addition to their number was all too evident, and they waited patiently to find out what had transpired within the crevice.

It took them all of half an hour to reach the bottom again, thankfully, with no mishaps.

Moving quickly over the open ground, they met up with those who'd not gone. Saving their questions for later, the reunited group loped back to where the horses and Illians were, Wufei continuing the carry the boy on his back, as it seemed easiest.

The long haired youth was an object of obvious speculation when they reached the area they'd tethered the mounts in. Wufei gave the care of him over to the sensitive Quatre, who would be able to tell if there were any internal injuries, and heal them if so.

Both Heero and Milliardo approached the dark haired swords master at the same time after that, not wishing to wait further for their answers.

"What happened?" Heero got out first.

Wufei eyed him. "The dragon wasn't there. He was all we found." He said simply, tossing his head in the direction of the young man in the little mage's care. Nodding, Milliardo moved to one of his own warriors to get a more detailed description of the interior of the cavern, while Heero and Wufei moved over to where Quatre was tending the boy.

Heero's first impression was of a skinny, longhaired youth with a collar about his neck, looking to be no more than the age of fifteen summers or so, but his soldier's eye picked out various smaller details that proved otherwise.

Despite being small, the youth had a lean instead of a scrawny body, well toned muscles that were lax at the moment, yet looked to be quite lithe. Under the dirt, pale skin that had a slight olive coloration to it meant he was Eastern, perhaps from one of the many cities bordering the routes. They were known to traffic slaves, and it was actually a highly profitable business there. 

Slight creases in his face spoke of abundant smiling, and an age closer to their own instead of his visually apparent age. The collar looked like it would cause a terrible amount of pain, but this too he catalogued away with the other information gathered for future research.

"Is there anything wrong with him?" Wufei asked, the first to inquire.

Quatre shook his head, letting his hands down from where they had been extended over the youth, magically examining him for injuries.

"Not that I can tell." The mage began, seemingly perplexed. "I've tried to revive him, but there's something blocking my powers." His eyes suddenly narrowed perceptively, an uncharacteristic thing to see the blond do.

"It's that collar..." He said, reaching for it. As soon as he touched it though, he jerked his fingers back, hissing in pain. Wufei knelt beside him.

"What is it? What happened?" He asked impatiently. Quatre showed him his hand, which had turned red and blistered at the points where contact had been made. Both Heero and Wufei blinked at the wounds. Muttering a spell under his breath, Quatre returned his burnt fingertips to normal, watching the new skin grow with a morbid fascination, and glad that such a small thing required nothing of him.

"It's spelled...against spells." He said after he'd finished, throwing a glance up and down the boy's body. "I can't touch it, and it keeps my magic from doing anything to him, good or bad." He drew back, sitting cross-legged beside the unconscious youth, absently biting his bottom lip.

"I've never seen anything like this....it's almost like it sucks up any magic that comes in contact with it." He glanced up and behind him to the others. "I suspect that it's not coming off without the builder saying so."

"Or his master for that matter." Wufei added darkly.

Both Heero and Quatre nodded in response.

By this time, the elves were ready to be off. Milliardo once more came over to them.

"We're ready to go." He said. "Have you found out anything about the boy?"

Heero shook his head. The elf looked askance at the youth, then back at the cobalt eyed soldier.

"What are you going to do with him? One who was found inside a dragon's lair is not really an individual we would want traveling with us."

"We're not leaving him here." Quatre began. 

"Even if we simply deposit him in the nearest town, that would be better than leaving him to the dragon." Wufei spoke up, surprisingly ardent on the subject. "He's apparently run away from somewhere, and getting away from slavery only to end up being killed by a dragon is not something I wish to contemplate for anyone."

The elf looked like he was about to argue, but then shrugged lightly.

"So be it. The consequences are on your heads."

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Weee!! Fifth and still going strong ^_^

On a darker note, my next chapter may take more than the two to three days I have tried to keep between posting up chapters, or it may not. If so, I apologize in advance, and beg for your understanding.

On a lighter note, I'm beginning that same chapter even as I post up this one.

Review, Review!! 


	6. Chapter 6

Eclipse of Dusk 

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 6

The party of warriors rode across the open planes in search of an expanse of covered ground to take shelter in for the night.

Though Milliardo had not approved of the youth's accompanying them, he begrudgingly allowed it. As long as the young man was in the care of the three humans, and nothing untoward befell his warriors because of it, he would leave the matter alone.

The youth had been placed upon Wufei's destrier, the swords master holding the still unconscious teen from falling to the ground as they rode. It was expected that the movement of the horse underfoot might wake him, but he twitched not a muscle the entire ride, of which both Wufei and Quatre were concerned. The blond was continually asking whether or not the youth's condition had changed, and the dark haired warrior's answer was always the same. 

No.

For some reason, Wufei felt responsible for the waif that rode before him. It was quite understandable, as the young man's condition had elicited a response even from their stoic commander. Heero had backed their decision, as non-verbally and non-emotionally as possible, it's true, but the messy haired soldier had agreed to it nevertheless without a dispute. They all knew if he didn't desire the long haired youth to be taken, he would have endeavored and succeeded in having the lad left behind. 

Reaching a copse of large oaks, Milliardo called a halt, the elf sending two scouts ahead to get a general idea of the area before they decided to camp. It didn't take long before the scouts returned with an 'all's well', and the party dismounted. Care for the horses and Illians came first, their tack and saddles taken off, a brushing administered to every one, and water and oats for each animal. Only when that was completed, did they go about making the site suitable for the night.

Again, the double circle was used, and the sentries began their paces even as the fires were being set up.

Whilst caring for his horse, Wufei had laid the young man amidst the action of the camp so that there were always eyes on him should his situation change. It didn't.

The only reason they knew he lived was because his of his shallow breathing, and constant pulse. It seemed to be continually racing for some reason, and Quatre suspected it was the adverse affects of the collar.

As night fell, the mage felt the irresistible urge to try and remove the horrible thing. The various fires, four by count, had brightened the area considerably as dusk had fallen. They had laid the young man next to the one the three accompanied; made four by the now expected and welcomed presence of Trowa. Atop a blanket, with one tucked around him, the young man looked still as death.

Scooting over, Quatre peered at the youth with an appraising eye, pondering just what he might do to try and remove the hateful band from around the boy's neck. The ever present Trowa was at his back, but facing the fire, so didn't yet see what he was trying.

Soothing his thoughts, the little mage gathered his control on the magic, like a skein of light about him that he could pull on and bend to his will. It was no wonder that there were so few magic users, because it had taken him years as a boy to merely be able to grasp a hold of the magic for more than a few scattered moments. Those with the gift could see and perhaps control the magic for small things simply by nature, but it took training to have any real amount of command. Even if one did manage to get a better hold of the magic, without proper limits, unspeakable things could happen. Quatre himself had seen what even a good spell could do if not limited properly.

A hedge witch, as she was called, very highly gifted, had tried a more advanced healing spell on a young woman in the end stages of birth. Something inside had gone terribly wrong, and it was probable that the woman would have died of internal bleeding if something was not done. The magic user's spell had indeed healed her, but the baby had been born without its skin. The spell had used the skin of the unborn child to heal the mother, almost killing the newborn in the process. Luck had been with them that day, for both Quatre and his teacher, the court mage by the name of Marius, had not been far off, and had been able to save the life of the little one.

Now, Quatre thanked his training as he gathered the power about him. He figured he would try a simple Word of power that would hopefully unlock the iron band and free the youth from its influence. Taking a breath, he held a hand over the cool seeming metal, not touching it, and spoke.

The drain was small, at first, seemingly normal, but suddenly something took a hold of him, and Quatre felt his powers being sucked from him in vast amounts. An immense and absolute darkness rose before his eyes like there was something sucking him into a never ending oblivion. He tried to move, to pull back, but the ability to move was stolen from him, and he felt an unexpected flaring pain go shooting through his hand and up his arm, like he'd just stuck it in the roaring heart of a fire. Somewhere above his level of consciousness as it dragged him further down, he heard someone yelling, and vaguely made the connection that it was not him causing the noise as he collapsed forward. 

It seemed like an eternity passed in the dark, and a strange, all encompassing numbness spread throughout his body. He floated unmoving in a sort of limbo, barely aware. 'So this is dieing…' The strange thought came slowly to him, and suddenly, his tunnel of vision narrowed until there was a single point of light amidst the dark, pulsing with different colors like the great beat of a heart. He strived towards it for some reason. It called to him, beckoned for the mage to join it.

…

"Quatre…Quatre!"

Trowa shook the unconscious mage again, striving to wake him. Both Wufei and Heero were right next to him, as well as quite a few of the elves who'd been brought by the noise. 

Actions controlled, the elf was frantic nevertheless as he called again. When the little blond had collapsed, the elf had jumped over, finding Quatre there with his hand clasped tightly around the collar about the boy's neck, the iron searing him like a red hot coal.

Careful not to touch the metal, as elves themselves possessed a natural magic that might be pulled in as well, he'd pried the mage's fingers from the iron band, and now cradled both the injured hand, and the mage himself in his lap as he strove to rouse him.

"Gods…he's barely breathing." Wufei muttered, hazarding a glance at the prone youth still lying next to them, only to divert his eyes back to Quatre's inert form held protectively in Trowa's lap.

Because of this, he didn't see when the youth opened his eyes. Eyes that seemed to pulse with a faint light. Eyes the color of the sky at sunset.

Eyes that angled over to the three crouched around their fallen comrade.

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Dun dun DUN!!! *ducks thrown objects* eep! I'm sorry!

*hides*

Heh…I actually finished this chapter the night I started writing it, also the night I posted the last chapter. Feh, so I lied about the 'it being late' part. I'm sure you're not mad, right?

*wink wink, nudge, nudge* 

*Gets pelted with various plushies*

Review, Review!!


	7. Chapter 7

Eclipse of Dusk 

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 7

Eyes a deep shade of amethyst traveled over the scene before them, one he had witnessed before.

A group of people gathered about a fallen one who seemed to be fading even as he watched. He could practically hear the little one's heart beat failing, and knew he would have to move fast in order to do anything. Levering himself up into a sitting position, the youth felt the tug of the ever present collar, a grim reminder of that which he could not remember before its presence. 

The pain, as always, was ignored.

"Quatre…Gods, wake up." One of the elves was saying, the one cradling the unconscious form.

Shifting from the sitting position to his knees, the slight sounds he made was what finally alerted one of those surrounding the little mage to his change in condition.

Heero glanced over at the small sounds, and found the surprising sight of the youth on his knees, and apparently in the process of trying to stand. He didn't move, however, from his place next to Wufei as the young man gained his feet. The stoic soldier merely watched with narrowed eyes as the long haired youth moved forward, pushing through the elves surrounding the little mage.

"Let me through." He said aloud in a voice that seemed too dull to be real, though the surprise of the elves at his wakefulness was enough for him to get through their ranks and to the center.

Trowa's discernible verdant emerald eye angled upwards at the intrusion, and found something to place blame upon in the figure of the boy with the collar.

"You…" He almost snarled, convulsively clutching the dieing mage closer to him.

"He tried to use magic on this didn't he." The young man said, gesturing to that which was around his neck. It was not a question. "It's taken hold of him, and unless I sever the connection, he will die."

The youth's words rang true, despite how much they wanted to deny it, and Trowa glanced down at the blond in his arms before looking upwards again.

"If anything happens to him, I swear, you will not live past his last breath." The elf ground out vehemently. A nod was the only answer he got, a deep despondency lingering in the violet eyes.

The already tense atmosphere became almost palpable as the youth knelt next to the mage, hands moving to place one on the blonde's head, one over his feebly beating heart.

The young man's eyes closed, and he could see the link of vividly colored magic that had been forged between the little mage and himself. It was the ample power the blond possessed that had enabled him to wake. In return, he couldn't let the mage die.

Slowly, as Quatre's life coursed away, the young man halted the flow of magic, and oh so recently life, that had been avidly absorbed into the void of death, as he'd affectionately named the damn thing.

It was a difficult thing to do. He was meant to have no control over what the cursed thing did, or whom it killed, but gradually, he'd grown the power and ability to stop its voracious intake of magic. Its consumption was the only way it could keep such a powerful spell up and running, and it had killed at least two people that the young man knew had been merely been trying to help, as he knew the little mage had been trying to help when he'd been ensnared.

Though he could stop the flow, he could not break the link. That was beyond his feeble powers. After this, if the mage tried to use his power again, even if it were nowhere near him, there was a chance that it would be caught once more. 

That is, if the mage survived having over half of his life energy sucked away.

Though there was no visible change, Trowa felt Quatre's heart start to beat a bit stronger and steadier as the youth took his hands from the blond. 

"He should be ok..." The young man murmured, placing his hands in his lap. "He will be very weak for a time, but I believe I stopped it in time...."

"Hn...just what did you stop, exactly?" Heero spoke up, ever one ready to gather more information on a possible hazard.

"His magic was being drained away, and a magic user's gift is directly linked with their life force. His life was draining away like water down rapids." The young man replied almost instantly, though in a soft voice that was dull with the burden of some unknown emotion that weighed heavily upon him. The cobalt eyed soldier resolved to himself that he would get to the bottom of this, but right now, their concern was the little mage.

Gently laying Quatre's limp body down on his blankets, though he was loath to do so, and it was all too evident, Trowa then settled down next to him. He would be awake the rest of the night.

Unfortunately, no one else got a choice in the matter, as a yell went up from one of the sentries on the outskirts of the camp.

"We're under attack!!"

...

What with the commotion at the humans' fire, the several elves that had gone to see what was the matter were therefore not ready when they came.

They, being a pack of grotesque looking Vlarg.

Vlarg were heinous creatures. Larger than the big cats that roamed the plains, they were shaped somewhat similar to a wolf. Their skin was dark, and scaled, giving them a reptilian look. Overlarge, brutish looking heads with square jaws that could crush bone as easily as one chewed greenery, sinister yellow eyes, and a long, powerful tail tipped with a poisonous barb that would kill quickly and painfully made for a nasty combination. They weren't overly fast though, as their size led to difficulty maneuvering, but they could whip that tail around with lightning speed.

The sudden commotion that sprung forth into the camp out of the surrounding darkness was a mixture of the Vlarg pack, and the Silver Wolves clashing in a brutal confrontation. The silveron bodies flashed as they tangled with the darker ones, howls of pain elicited from either side as they struck out. Blood splashed brightly to the ground, and a Silver Wolf fell to not rise again.

Making a dash for their weapons, the few elves were met by those Vlarg not being held at bay by the Silver Wolves. Some managed to gather their weapons before they were attacked. Others did not get that chance.

"Group together!" Milliardo yelled, trying to direct his warriors while they were being torn part by the vicious beasts that had attacked. Metal clashed with scaled skin, and sparks flew before he himself hit home with his long, curved blade. A howl of pain flew forth from the beast, and its virile blood dripped to the ground from the long cut down its chest. Then it lashed out, rending the elf's side with one swipe of its clawed talon. Letting out a yell, he dropped back, clutching the gaping wound as two of his warriors took his place at the front.

Other Vlarg made for the small group at the opposite end of the camp. They could smell easy prey there, but they were brought up abruptly short by the flashing blades of both one swords master, one perfect soldier, and the arrows of one furious elf.

From where he stood next to both the unconscious Quatre, and the undefended youth, Trowa aimed for vital areas only an elf would be able to hit in the dark.

One of the beasts facing Wufei suddenly sprouted a gray fletched arrow from where its malevolent yellow eye had been only a second before. Howling out in anger, the pain maddened beast managed to barrel past the defensive barrier Heero and Wufei had made, going straight for the three nearest the fire.

"Watch out!" Wufei yelled in an effort to warn them while fending off a pair of ravenous fangs with his own twin fangs.

That same Vlarg suddenly found itself plunging its own body onto the fire sharpened head of a thick stick the long haired youth had grabbed from the fire and thrust forward at the charging animal with all his strength. Blood and gore sprayed forth, yet the beast continued forward at breakneck speeds, crashing into both the youth and the elf, and carrying them into the night forest with its lasting burst of energy.

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Wow....a fight scene!!

I've been waiting for this part. I love orchestrating fight scenes. So much blood and death…..I guess that's not a good thing for our elven brethren though… 

I'm sorry if this chapter was a tad confusing. It will all be explained later, I can assure you.

Review, Review!!


	8. Chapter 8

Ai!!! Over 50 reviews!! I never thought I would get so many!!

Domo arigatou minna san!!

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Blood, Death, Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 8

Unable to do anything for risk of letting his guard down, Wufei watched in horror as the youth and the elf were swept into the surrounding brush and greenery by the dieing Vlarg's charge. 

Heero, however, knew he had the power to stop this as he impaled the Vlarg before him with his sword. The only thing was, was he willing to risk it? 

Was that even a question that needed to be asked?

Throwing his sword to the ground, he raised his hands even as another of the beasts raced towards him, spined tail rearing over its head to strike.

Then it screamed as it was suddenly enveloped in flames that burned with an almost holy retribution and an ungodly fury. Golden, these flames were, with a blood red burning center that was hotter than the fires of a volcano.

The same flame danced in the depths of Heero's cobalt blue eyes. With a thought, the Vlarg facing Wufei was also ablaze, and the messy haired soldier turned his fiery gaze on the swords master.

Having seen this before, the dark haired warrior was unfazed, but instead waited only a moment to make sure the perfect soldier had things in control.

"Go after them." Heero all but yelled, and Wufei spared an instant to nod before racing back to where the motionless mage still lie. Making sure he was unhurt, Wufei then plunged into the darkness after the two.

…

The dieing Vlarg had continued to fight, and despite their desperate attempts, both the elf and the human stood little chance of striking it down.

In the first assault the beast had made, its actions carrying them into the surrounding trees, Trowa's shoulder got caught between those bone crushing jaws. Luckily, with its life ebbing away, the thing had not the strength left to use such force, but the elf came away with a severely torn shoulder that was rendered useless and bleeding profusely.

Pulling out the short sword he kept on his belt with his good left hand, the elf moved quickly to find the youth while the beast thrashed about and regained its bearings.

Finding the young man not too far off on the ground with a bleeding slash across his side, Trowa knelt next to him, and took hold of him with his good hand to deliver a shake. 

"Wake up…now is not the time to be unconscious!" He hissed, pulling the youth into a sitting position as his eyes opened blearily, wincing in pain. It took only the sight of the wounded beast beginning to search for them with its one good eye, however, to snap the boy's focus back to the here and now.

Viscous blood leaking from both the gaping hole in its chest that still had the thick piece of wood jutting from it, and its displaced eye, the Vlarg's damaged gaze landed on them. It lips lifted in a snarl that gave them a clear view of its razor sharp incisors.

"Can you stand…"

"Duo…" The youth filled in.

"Duo?" Trowa whispered, finishing his question.

With a nod, they both slowly got to their feet, the vicious creature's eye never leaving them as they moved.

One hand to his side, Duo stood on his own instead of leaning on the proffered arm the elf lent, as he quickly ascertained that the elf that stood next to him was having trouble simply keeping himself upright, a nasty looking wound the cause for his instability. Plus, if the beast decided to continue its attack, and they needed to fight, the elf held the only weapon within reach. 

He would need room to move.

The attack of the beast was not unexpected, but it was so sudden that it still almost caught the both of them off guard. 

As the Vlarg launched itself forward, Duo instinctively pushed Trowa away, and used the momentum from the action to jump out of the way himself as the beast's claws raked the air they'd situated only milliseconds before. As it was slow to turn, a burst of adrenaline quickened Trowa's motions and dulled the pain as he slashed the short sword across the creature's backside, the only readily reachable area.

The spiked tail arched towards him, but his elvish reflexes had his sword up just enough to deflect the blow on the razor sharp edge, slicing the poisonous barb off completely, and once more spraying him with the creature's blood. Its head came around, a howl on its lips, teeth bared, and those jaws closed about the elf's arm before he could pull it back again.

Yelling in pain as the teeth shredded skin and muscle, Trowa's world began to grow dark around the edges as the amount of blood he'd lost started having adverse effects. The Vlarg worried him, for all the world like a dog with a bone, but he managed to keep his footing nevertheless. The sword fell from his hand to the ground.

And then Duo was there, the long haired youth grabbing the sword from where it had fallen, and abruptly thrusting it directly through the Vlarg's unprotected neck in one quick, fluid motion. With a last gurgled breath, the Vlarg fell slowly to the ground, taking the seriously injured elf with it. The creature's jaws loosened enough for Duo to pry the elf's arm from their grip, keeping a grimace from his face at the grisly sight.

Trowa's eyes were closed, but he was breathing. A good sign. Not strong enough to lift the elf because of his wounds, despite how light elves where, Duo tore strips from his clothing to wrap about his arm, and pad his shoulder to try and staunch the flow of blood.

That was how Wufei found them not too much later, the long haired youth holding the bleeding elf, with a dead Vlarg impaled by a sword through its neck lying next to them. They'd been carried farther than he'd thought, and he'd cursed the time it had taken to find them.

Kneeling next to them, the youth turned dulled violet eyes to him.

"Hey there...He's hurt bad. I couldn't do anything but try and stop the bleeding. He took on that thing all by himself, and it got him a couple of times. I don't know how bad it is." The boy was rambling, and Wufei could see that he too, was injured, his uncared for wound still bleeding sluggishly.

"Stop..." He said in gentle command, and the youth fell silent. 

Guessing that enough time had passed for Heero to finish the job back at the camp, he picked up the elf, and helped the youth to his feet.

"We're going back to camp now. We'll be able to take care of the both of you there." Wufei said slowly, as if talking to a young child. If he wasn't careful, there was a chance that the youth could go into shock.

Nodding absently, the violet eyed young man slowly followed the swords master through the dark forest back the surprisingly long distance to the camp site.

It was a gruesome scene that met their gaze when they entered the fire lit area.

The bodies of both the elvish warriors and Vlarg scattered the ground, many eviscerated and mutilated beyond being able to tell whom or what they were. Three Silver Wolves had been killed, from what they could see, and most of the Vlarg looked to have been charred past recognition. 

Heero's handiwork. 

Moving forward with the staggering youth behind him, Wufei searched for somewhere to place the elf in his arms. A line of wounded had already been made, and he added Trowa to the end of it, calling one of the only four elves that were still hale enough to move about to look to his severe wounds. He saw Milliardo among the ranks of the wounded, though the lead elf was sitting up and directing the others' actions, one hand about his waist covering his bandaged side. A wince managed to break through his calm exterior every now and again as the dark haired warrior watched.

A steady hand landed on his shoulder, and he turned to meet the cobalt eyes of his commander.

Heero glanced over at the wounded, noting Trowa among them, though now he was being treated. His eyes then moved slightly to the left, alighting upon the youth who stood numbly to the side, eyes lidded. He seemed to sway on his feet even as the messy haired soldier watched, complexion paler than it was normally, and a slight sheen of sweat glistening on his skin.

The world seemed to suddenly tilt wildly in Duo's eyes, and the ground came up to meet him as he collapsed.

Leaving Wufei for a moment, Heero moved over to the youth, easily picking him up, and laying him where he could be treated, noting the gash in his side in an off handed sort of way.

Walking back to Wufei, the dark haired warrior eyed him.

"...How many did we lose?" He asked quietly.

"Three elves...three Silver Wolves." Heero replied in a clipped, military manner. "Five severely wounded, and four yet able to stand."

"How many Vlarg attacked, and how many were killed?" He was then asked.

"It was a pack of fifteen." Heero angled his eyes towards the swords master, that same fire glinting for a moment in their cobalt depths. "None of them still live."

-----------------------------------

Those poor poor elves....

*sniffles*

Review, Review!!


	9. Chapter 9

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 9

Six lives lost, and several more hanging in the balance. They would have all probably been killed if Heero had not loosed his power.

Piling the carnage from the fight to the side, the party decided they would move as soon as all were able. The wounds among the living ran from a variety of broken and crushed bones, to cut arteries and lacerated flesh. Fortunately, those that still breathed had not been poisoned by the creatures. There was no cure for their venom. 

The four elves able to work did so, using their gift of energy healing to bring back even the worst injured among them to a stable state, careful to not completely exhaust themselves in the process.

The humans worked beside the elves, reassuring those that woke as gradually their bones and flesh mended.

Milliardo's pale eyes landed upon Heero as the soldier tended to one of the elves who'd lost almost too much blood from the various tears in his body. Sensing the gaze, he looked over his shoulder, and met the elf's eyes. Finishing with the one he looked after, he then walked over to the long haired blond. 

"…Yes?" He asked almost impatiently, though it was from a weariness that had begun to drag at him. Milliardo eyed him for a moment where he sat before speaking.

"…What are you?" He asked, a tone of mild disquiet in his voice.

"A soldier. Nothing more, nothing less." Came the unnerving reply.

"Like hell that's all you are." The blond said. "No human can do what I have seen you do this night. Even magefire does not burn so readily."

Meeting the half glare the elf was sending him, Heero knelt next to the wounded leader. 

"…_I _do not even know _what_ I am." He said quietly after a moment. "On the eve of my fifteenth birthday, this power surfaced within me. It raged for a time before quieting again, but my family'd had enough of it to disown me." The unusually long string of speech seemed to surprise the elf.

"Have you not tried to find anything about yourself?" Milliardo asked. "Were your parents human?"

Heero eyed him.

"You think I haven't tried to find out what I am?" He asked with a tone of incredulity. "I don't wander about simply because I enjoy it, despite how glamorous this lifestyle might look." Regardless of the fact that the words were heavy with sarcasm, somehow it didn't reach his voice, and it remained a monotone.

"As for parents, I was adopted when I was three, so I don't know who my parents were…. and I have no care to find out." He ended that sentence on a note of finality which told the elf to not go any further with what could be potentially dangerous to his health if he did so.

That said, he left the elf to go and check over the other injured. It gave Milliardo yet another something to puzzle over.

…

Virtually all but two of the six that had been wounded were able to move around without too much difficulty two days later, and those two had a pretty good reason to not be able to move. 

Quatre was one of those two. He was still weak, but his pale color was closer to normal, and he'd woken the morning of the day after the attack. It might have been humorous to hear of someone waking to such a situation, but there was no humor to be found in the scene that met his eyes when he came around.

It was as Duo had said. Over half of the little mage's life had been sucked away by the collar that bound the boy. It would take time to recover his energy, despite what the elves could do to help him. One could not replace life energy over night.

The day following the attack, they'd relocated their camp to another position a good three to four klicks away. All of the horses and Illians had scattered when the Vlargs had attacked, though most of them had returned by that morning's light. However, the two destriers belonging to Heero and Wufei had not fled. The valiant steeds had died in their efforts to protect their masters. They were witnessed taking out one of the beasts when they were cut down. 

Milliardo offered two Illians to replace the steeds, their previous masters dead. Agreeing, at least for the time being, the two warriors had mounted their new chargers, Heero's a white stallion with bright blue eyes, Wufei's a rich chocolaty brown mare with yellow tinged black eyes. They would each be carrying one of the injured.

As none of the elves would carry those in the human party, what with their own to contend to, both Heero and Wufei would have a second rider.

Heero received what he considered to be the burden of having the long haired youth, Duo, ride before him while Wufei would support Quatre before him. The young man had woken before they made the attempt to move, and had been given a short interrogation by the stoic soldier.

~~~~~

"What is your name?" The first thing out of the cobalt eyed young man's mouth was a bit harsh when he'd knelt next to the violet eyed youth who'd just woken moments before.

"D..Duo" He'd been answered after an instant of stunned silence.

"Why were you in the dragon's cave?" Short, to the point, and annoyingly curt. That was Heero in a nutshell.

"D..dragon's cave? What dragon's cave?" Duo answered, wide eyed. The thought 'This guy is nuts.' ran like a flash through his mind.

"Hn…you expect me to believe that you don't remember?" Heero had replied brusquely. He was an expert at reading emotions from a person's expression, their body language, the dart of the eyes. Something few people knew, if one moved their eyes a certain direction while answering a question, then that person was lying.

Everything he read from Duo said the youth was telling the truth, but he continued in this vein of questioning.

"Why do you wear a collar?" He'd asked.

That was when Duo seemed to take control over himself again, and eyed the soldier.

"Why the hell should I answer you?" His petulant tone was nothing like what Heero had heard the first time the boy had spoken. That time, pushing through the ring surrounding the mage, his voice had sounded flat, like there was nothing behind it but emptiness. Now, there was definitely something behind it, and that something happened to be an attractively irate violet eyed young man who's personality seemed to border on insolent.

"Because you are in no position to be denying me answers…" Heero had answered after a moment's silence. Duo's eyes had narrowed, and a scowl had set upon his features.

"Like hell I am-"

"You have endangered the life of one of my company" Heero'd interrupted callously. "Only because you released him and saved the life of another are you still alive."

"Well it's nice to know that I'm appreciated." The youth had replied instantly, tone heavy with cynicism and impish nerve.

Fortunately, the conversation had ended there before it came to blows as one of the elves had approached Heero with a message from Milliardo. Everything and everyone was ready to be under way, and he moved off to help. 

Safe to say, this was evidently not going to be the most pleasant of associations.

-----------------------------------

Oooh….tensions in the relationship already. 

That certainly doesn't bode well for our heroes.

*enter fake and cheesy "Next Episode" music*

Review, Review!!


	10. Chapter 10

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 10

The ride to the new camp seemed all too long for one Heero Yuy.

The squirmy youth in front of him had not stopped moving the entire trip, though if the stoic soldier were one to feel sympathetic, he would not have blamed him. Duo could not have his wounds helped along by the elvish magic, and would simply have to let them heal naturally. The thought that he was fortunate to not have sustained further serious injury flashed through Heero's mind and was gone just as quickly before he could question it.

The Illian's trotting gait was surprisingly smooth, but even so, the slight movement pained the boy, though he didn't let it show. In fact, Duo tried to keep up a lively chatter, though it was all but one sided. He seemed to have forgotten that only hours before, Heero had all but threatened him into giving the soldier the answers he sought.

A signal went down the line to their spot closer to the back, with Wufei and Quatre close behind leading the mage's lithe Arabian, that there was an obstacle that would have to be jumped in order to continue forward. Heero felt Duo tense in front of him, but he said nothing, as by then he'd stopped talking long enough to forget about the conversation that had so previously taken up his attention.

The 'obstacle' was nothing more than a small crack in the ground that ran lengthways across their path for who knew how far. It was only a few feet wide, easy for even a heavily laden steed, and effortless for the Illians. They wouldn't even need to change pace to make the jump.

Approaching the cleft, Heero let the Illian have its head on the peculiarities of the speed and such. He would have to get used to certain things concerning his new mount, as even though his destrier had been of above average intelligence, it could not make decisions like these itself. The reason the Illians were so special was that they _could_ make such decisions, and with as level a head as few humans were gifted with.

Duo suddenly leaned back against Heero as the steed launched itself forward, chestnut hair and warm, solidly contoured back pressed against his chest in such a way that were he not in his sane mind, he would have said was oddly comfortable.

Landing on the other side, the light jarring sent a shock wave through the youth's body that Heero felt through their connection, which was abruptly replaced with cooler air as Duo leaned forward to wrap a protective arm about his side, one hand on the saddle horn in front of him to keep him seated.

Showing a small bit of consideration, Heero paused long enough for the youth to regain his composure, then when he straightened, lightly tapped the Illian's side with his heels to catch up to their place in line.

Duo did not talk for a while after that.

...

"Um...look, I'm sorry about what happened earlier...." Duo muttered, seated next to Quatre.

The party had set up camp about an hour earlier, no other significant event having taken place during the short journey, and those that were able were set out as watchers.

The double circle now included the four humans and their fire, the injured set in the center closer to the fires, and periodically using spurts of healing magic on each other as their strength would allow. The end result would be a group of fully healed elves within a few days. One main reason for the group to be fully encircled was that if anything happened, then Heero was their only hope of survival. His almost brutal killing of the Vlarg had brought him new respect in the eyes of all the elves. It was now as if their small group was no longer separate, but welcomed into the whole. 

Quatre shook his head, a small smile spreading across his pale lips.

"Don't worry about it....really." He replied quietly. "It was not your fault...plus you made up for anything by helping us fight off those creatures."

A half smile crossed Duo's face.

"....Thanks."

Feeling the need to further the conversation, Quatre grasped for a topic.

"erm...I don't mean to pry, but when I touched that...collar...it burned me." He paused awkwardly. "...but it doesn't seem to do the same to you." It wasn't really a question, but it was the first thing that had come to mind.

Duo frowned a bit, eyes hooded. He was silent for so long that Quatre almost feared he would not answer.

".....It affects me the same way..." He said then, quietly. The little blonde's eyes widened a bit.

"It....it does? But...why...I mean-" He stuttered.

"Why doesn't it seem like it?" Duo cut in. The mage gave a meek nod.

"I've lived with it for so long...I can't remember a time without the pain. It doesn't physically burn me, but the feeling is there. The thing is, either I ignore it, or I go mad..." He said this like it was an everyday thing, and it shouldn't bother anyone.

It bothered Quatre.

"Do you know of a way to take it off?" He asked, concern darkening his light blue eyes.

Duo actually smiled at him.

"You think I would have kept it on this long if I knew how to take it off?" He said with an almost lighthearted sarcasm. "The earliest memory I have has this thing in it, but that doesn't ever seem too long ago. I remember waking up in the Mt. St. Helens convent, and that's as far back as I can remember."

"Convent?" The mage asked, feeling as if he were getting somewhere.

"Yeah. It was kind of an orphanage mixed with a church, 'cause there were some younger kids there that had lost their parents. There was only one priest, Father Maxwell, but he sorta adopted me. He even gave me his last name." Duo smiled as he said this. "There were also a couple of really nice nuns, but that was about it. They said they'd found me outside their door, comatose, and with this collar already on me. They took real good care of me..." His voice drifted off, and Quatre could practically see the flashes of memory taking the youth away. And they turned to not so pleasant memories as his face contorted with sorrow for a moment.

"...what happened?" The little blond asked quietly, not quite wishing to reawaken old hurts.

"The convent burned. They all burned..." Duo whispered, looking at the ground directly in front of him as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

"...how?" He persisted.

"...a flash of light...and heat...I heard their screams...and then a loud roaring sound..." The suddenly broken speech was accented by an intense shaking that had taken the youth's body. "They were screaming....an…an explosion...or something....then...something black." His violet eyes were wide and unseeing, the horrifying images that played through his mind casting their shadow over his thoughts.

Quatre could tell something was wrong, and he quickly took hold of the boy's shoulders to deliver a waking shake.

"Duo!" He said in a commanding tone, pulling the youth's haunting eyes to him. "It' s ok. You're here. You're safe." He had to repeat that twice more before Duo seemed to snap out of whatever had taken hold of him, and his shoulders sagged forward, hands coming up to bury his face in. He was trembling badly.

Feeling awkward, Quatre gathered the youth to him, offering what comfort he could.

Eyes even then dry, Duo allowed himself to be coddled while the still bright images started to dim and dull in their startling vivacity.

"…sorry 'bout that." The violet eyed youth murmured after a while, pulling himself out of the little mage's area of security.

Quatre offered him a reassuring smile.

"No, don't apologize for something like that." He said. "It wasn't your fault…actually…"Here Quatre paused before voicing the thought that had suddenly entered his mind.

"Where was the convent located?" He then put forth.

Duo looked up at him.

"In…the foothills of the northern mountains…" He answered a bit hesitantly. "Why?"

Quatre was a moment answering him.

"Do you know why we are here? No, no one's probably told you yet." Quatre answered himself. "We were sent to hunt down a dragon-"

"That guy said something about a dragon." Duo interrupted. Quatre blinked.

"That guy?" He questioned. Duo pointed to where the stoic soldier stood at his post.

"Oh…That's Heero. Him, Wufei, and myself, as well as our elvish companions, are all hunting a dragon that's been terrorizing the plane lands for a little while. Now…I believe that the same dragon we hunt could have possibly been the cause of the fire in your convent…."

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Woot! The big One Zero. Ten chapters baby!!

Argh!! I had the hardest time of trying to get through this chapter because I had a sudden case of writer's block. Never fear, I have found my direction!!

*dances about*


	11. Chapter 11

I have to give thanks to what I have now affectionately dubbed 'my dedicated fans'. Heh, just kidding, unless you'd actually _like _to be known as that *sweat drop* 

Anywho, I just want to say thanks, and I love you all for giving me such spectacular reviews. 

On another note, as an artist of both the writing, and the drawing, I hope to try and work on a piccy for this fanfic. If I do manage to get it up, I shall post it somewhere, and give you, the dedicated fan, the URL. 

If anyone _wants _to do a picture for me, I'd be terribly flattered. ^_^ *nudge nudge* *wink wink*

And now, no more mindless dribble!! On to the Fic!

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 11

Three days passed in an almost pleasant blur. They all took turns hunting, preparing food, looking for firewood, and guarding the camp. As the injured elves healed, they joined those in rotation, relieving those who'd done more than their share to ensure that everyone had food and a fire while the majority was incapacitated. 

They all spent a period of mourning their lost companions, but sensible to the last, they left no time errant. The night after the party had arrived at the new site, they sang their departed brethren home to the stars. 

The humans had watched and listened with wonder as the soothing rise of lilting elvish voices mixed with the breeze, dancing with it as if the two were partners in some great cosmic imperial ball. Not too far in the distance, the clarion call of the Silver Wolves rose to join that of the elves, and the notes spiraled up and down to match perfectly. It was an awed custom to behold, and like a fabulous gift given to those who heard that woeful lamentation. 

Afterwards, as the bodies had been burned earlier, their ashes were scattered to the four winds to free their souls to fly unbound by earthly chains.

…

The enigma that was Duo Maxwell gradually eased his way into camp life, somehow managing to find a niche in the way things worked. As each day passed, he healed as well, though no where near the advanced rate of the elves. He did heal fast for a human though, and could move about without much pain before long.

They gave him a change of clothes, though they were a bit big, considering he was the shortest among the group save for Quatre and Wufei, and they had to be adjusted to fit him properly.

Surprisingly, or maybe not so considering the two in question, Quatre and Duo became fast friends. Because of their shared debilitation, Milliardo and Heero jointly confined the both of them to the camp. There was nothing to do but talk, and talk they did. 

Trowa, however, did not seem pleased with their association, and with good reason. His healing had been fast, and on the second day he'd been deemed able enough to be sent out to hunt. Before that period though, he would at all times be eyeing the two idly chatting, always with a sense of unease. There was something there that spoke of deviant things besides the collar, and it didn't bode well for any of them.

He didn't seem to be the only one with the sense that they were harboring a live fuse that could go off at any time. Heero kept a close eye on the long haired youth, or as close as one could without attracting his attention. Duo had the reflexes of a cat, and the stoic soldier had to grudgingly admit that he was very good at knowing when he was being watched. In fact, Heero had to rescind many of his initial thoughts on the youth as he continued to watch him. The main point to note, was that he'd risked his own life to help save that of another. It spoke of an ideal he possessed that the stoic soldier might be willing to respect. 

He was constantly smiling, sometimes because it looked to be out of sheer habit. His personality was cheery, and he was one to joke, but as Heero'd already seen, he gave no regard whatsoever when it came to someone trying to order him around. 

The more Heero saw of Duo, the more he began to think that there was a perplexing…_something…_behind his way of acting. Be it what he'd learned from Quatre about the long haired youth's past, and he had to admit that he did feel an amount of sympathy, or something they had yet to discover about him.

Despite Heero's misgivings though, all in all, he acted no differently than one would expect from someone in his situation. The only exception was the fact that he was always jovial. That was explainable as well though, as people who had lost something or someone dear to them often had to turn inwards to find something to keep them going. 

To put it purely, Duo simply used his joy at living to _keep_ living. 

…

The fourth day dawned bright and sunny, but unfortunately, it wasn't fated to last long. Around noon, there was a visible change in the light from overhead, and a slight breeze picked up, driving chill air before it. A roiling, writhing mass of clouds came into view far to the north, and it advanced all too quickly.

The planes were infamous for the devastating storms that often blew down from the northern reaches and across the flat expanse of land. With nothing to block them, they could go on for days, though they generally died out before reaching any of the outlying kingdoms. However, every now and again one would manage to reach that far south and wreak havoc on the place. These storms sometimes brought snow, sleet, and periodically hail the size of one's fist. Coupled with city leveling winds, they were nasty to experience. 

The current camp was located on open ground, so they were going to be given little to no protection when the storm hit. 

Milliardo gathered his warriors, now mostly hale and able, and they quickly collected the camp paraphernalia and packed it all together and away so they could move.

As everyone was now well enough to ride under their own power, each elf and human had a steed of their own, Milliardo having granted the use of one of the rider-less Illians to Duo; A beautiful black silk roan with eyes so dark the hue could not be clearly seen, though they flashed violet in the light like diamond cut gems.

The entire group was under way as the ominous clouds overhead gathered, and a light pre-fall of rain misted over them. A fierce gust of wind lifted the dust from the dry ground, blowing it before them as they rode at a clip the steeds would be able to keep for some time, covering the land in great, ground eating strides. Despite that, the mass of clouds was above them in a short time, slowly spiraling overhead as if waiting for the opportune moment to release the deluge upon them.

Risking a glance upwards, Quatre saw the spidery lightning that spiked through the dark clouds from the back of his fleet Arabian. Then bringing his glance down again to those around him, his eyes met their slightly hunched over figures. Trowa, Wufei, Heero, and Duo, bringing up the rear on his newly appropriated black Illian. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Heero tightening the reigns on his steed somewhat to keep back with the long haired youth. If the situation were not so serious, Quatre might have let a smile slip past his lips. He had watched Heero watching Duo, and had seen a new emotion forming in those normally cold blue eyes. He didn't know quite what it was, but apparently, Duo had even endeared himself to the perfect soldier whether Heero had wanted it or not, and Quatre had a feeling the stoic soldier didn't even _know _about his own feelings yet…

Thunder rumbled threateningly overhead, drawing the blonde's thoughts forcefully back to the here and now. Once more looking up, his eyes narrowed perceptibly. For some reason, this storm did not feel natural to him, though there was nothing that readily discounted it as such. _Looking _at it with his second sight though, the clouds seemed to be pierced through with lines of power whose source could not be readily identified.

Then his blue eyes widened as the spidery lightning gathered at one place directly over the traveling party. 

Letting go the reins and trusting the steed to keep its own head, the little mage had no time to warn the others, and began speed muttering an incantation, hands weaving symbols in the air. At the very back of his mind, like a presence of its own, he could feel the tug at his magic. Duo had warned him, but he had to take this chance.

He almost didn't make it.

The brilliant blaze of lightning suddenly arced down from the clouds, spooking both mounts and riders as the shattering sound of thousands of volts of electricity slammed into the spell barrier Quatre had erected over the party a mere few feet over their heads, showering bits of light everywhere like the bolt had splintered into a thousand pieces.

And then came the rain, torrential being the only word to describe it.

They were drenched in moments, from over-cloaks to underwear. 

"Go!" Milliardo yelled, needing only a heel tap at his Illian's dusky side to have the stallion racing at full speed. They then threw caution to the winds, and let all their mounts loose. 

The wind at their back pelted them with rain, and another bolt of lightning jolted downwards, once more deflected by Quatre's shield, though with an explosive sound like shattering glass, the mage's spell fizzled into nothing, unable to long withstand the power that was hitting it.

"I can't hold it any more!!" Quatre yelled as loud as he could, but he wasn't sure that his words were heard because they were taken by the wind as soon as they were uttered.

The entire posse spread out though, lessening the chance of a group of them being hit.

The lightning dancing overhead again gathered at one point, and the resulting bolt leapt up from the ground directly in front of Duo with a resounding crash, tearing the dirt up in a long track, and effectively cutting off his path as his Illian turned a sharp right, heading him away from the rest of the group.

"No!" He shouted. His black steed understood his alarm, and made to angle back towards the group when another bolt of light sliced across his path, forcing the Illian to turn again, once more away from the others.

Violet eyes wide, Duo looked over his shoulder at the retreating forms of his new found companions.

Turning once more forward, he leaned down close to his steed's neck to try and afford himself some protection from the stinging winds. Giving a tug on the reins, he tried again to aim for the rest of his group.

The bolt of lightning struck directly underneath him and the Illian, throwing them both into space as the repercussion of power thundered through the air and ground, ripping up the dirt and throwing it after them. 

The ground rushed up to meet them, and Duo closed his eyes before he hit, a brilliant pain slamming into him before he was swallowed by darkness.

-----------------------------------

Wow….

Hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Review, Review!!


	12. Chapter 12

I have just been informed that I am not explaining things clear enough. I'm sorry about that, as it's just my habit of rambling on in a story, struggling to connect the facts and remember everything. Thanks to GoldenRat for bringing this to my attention.

In Chapter 7, when Duo stops the flow of power from Quatre to the collar, it's only barely mentioned that breaking the _connection _between the two is beyond Duo's powers, thus leaving the danger of Quatre being caught again if he uses his magic. I'm sorry, I should have elaborated on this a bit more. *bows* gomen nasai. If you peeps see anything else, be sure to leave me a message so I can get it fixed.

(See? Reader's response _does_ count ^^)

Ja matta

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 12

Heero had not noticed the youth's sudden absence until he was too far away to reach with words. He immediately tugged hard on the reigns, pulling his Illian's noble head about and causing it to take a sharp turn it almost lost its footing on. He ignored the rain that lashed into his face as he headed into the wind, and the calls of both Wufei and Quatre behind him as they faded into the downpour, bending low over his steed's back to reduce resistance.

He was having a hard time closing in the distance on the dark form riding ahead of him when the steed Duo rode changed direction again. About to turn to intercept, Heero saw the bright flash of light milliseconds before it struck, and an unknown fear gripped his heart.

Both Duo and the Illian were thrown into the air by the explosive strike, and Heero's cobalt eyes tracked the flight of both.

The Illian landed first, taking the brutal impact on its side. It didn't seem too hurt though, as it regained its feet momentarily.

Duo, however, hit the ground hard some distance from the steed, and didn't move.

Giving his Illian another kick, Heero pressed himself close to the creature beneath him. A sudden sharp pain lashed across his back, followed by another. Then a battering of hail was to follow. The storm threw everything it had at him, but he locked the pain away to handle later.

The thunder rumbled ominously above him, but he ignored it as well. Unfortunately, he couldn't ignore it for long as a bolt of lightning arced down from the sky with the malignant intent of taking his life.

The only thing that saved him was the hole that seemed to open up before his Illian's feet, too deep to see the bottom, and too wide to jump at such close quarters.

Pitching forward with a yell, both Heero and his mount tumbled into the pit and down into a murky oblivion that seemed to go on forever.

...

It was dark.

That's the first thing he noticed. As the darkness dissipated and was replaced by a bright light, the second thing he noticed was that he was surrounded by fire.

Turning his head, cobalt blue eyes took in the fact that the fire was the same hue as his own. The gold with the scarlet center. There was no sky, no ground, just the flames and their endless dance to the drumming of a great heartbeat. Then, out of the flames in the distance rose a great black beast.

Long head wreathed in horns, and a thick mane of spiked, jet black hair running down its back, it rose on wings that dwarfed everything Heero could put up against its size. Ebony claws slid from their sheaths, glinting wickedly in the firelight; as the whole beast glinted like some huge diamond cut jewel. Scales both large and small ran down its dark sides, managing to look immensely strong, yet fragile at the same time. Its entire frame seemed to be nothing but bone, scale, and wire strung muscle, yet the creature moved with such silken grace that it shimmered like water over velvet. 

With each vast wing beat, it moved closer, slitted eyes glimmering with an inner light.

And suddenly, the flames roared high, high over Heero's head.

Above him, a form took shape within the flaming inferno that swirled feverishly.

A clarion call rose from the shape, and long, wide, flame feathered wings unfolded out from the center, cupping around to each side of the perfect soldier. A silver beak, the only different color readily apparent, then golden head rose up above him, eyes flashing golden crimson with their own light. Each feather was wreathed in flames that burned alternately gold, then blood red, the colors swirling with life and brilliancy. With another call that resembled the musical clangor of steeple bells at midnight, the great bird creature swept up and away, advancing upon the black beast.

Before they met however, each striving for the other, an earth shattering blast of lightning struck the air between the two. Letting loose a cry, the flaming creature's inferno circled about it, and it launched a fireball upwards towards the unknown and unseen source of the bolt, followed only a second behind by the roaring gout of dark flame the black beast let loose.

Both blasts of flame twined and combined, the dark mixing with the light in such a way that an almost beautiful combination of power was produced that could rival the gods themselves.

The flame struck, hitting that which had caused the lightning and showering down a light show of red gold and dark sparks of liquid flame, but the thing let loose with one last bolt of energy, squarely striking the black beast with its last deadly powerful attack.

With a cry that seemed like a mix of falcon and lion but multiplied a thousand fold, the black beast began to sink, feebly beating its wings in an effort to stay up. As if in slow motion, it sank down, down into the flames, which rose up to welcome it into the fire's warm embrace.

The flaming bird let loose with a startling, clarion cry that shook the very heavens, filled with such deafening anger and loss that it overwhelmed the senses and sent one's mind to the edge of sanity.

...

Jerking awake, Heero's eyes were unfocused, his heart fluttered against his ribcage, and his breathing fast. There was a sheen of sweat on his brow, and the bird's cry echoed through his mind and soul. 

It took him a moment to gather his thoughts, and even longer to finally realize that he was warm, dry, and inside. That, accompanied with the fact that he seemed to ache in every muscle, some that he didn't remember even having, took him aback, and the soldier part of him snapped into place, eyes narrowing as he looked about. 

From what he could see of the ceiling, it looked to be made of stone. It also looked like it was naturally hollowed out, so he deduced that he was inside a cave, probably pretty deep into one at that. The wall to his left that bordered where he lay; upon a bed, with a mattress and thick blanket no less; was smooth, but by the faint light, he could see the different layers of rock it passed through. His eyes moved further to the right, and what looked to be a naturally hollowed fire place hosted the faint light of a fire. He was subconsciously glad to note that the flame was the normal color of a simple hearth fire.

"What did you dream?" Suddenly came a soft, deeply soothing voice from somewhere to his right and upwards. He jerked up, almost scrabbling to his feet so he could meet his next opponent, regardless of the pain the movement brought.

His next opponent turned out to be an older woman, with graying brown hair, and a plump, but not thick figure that had mother written all over it. She was smiling slightly, most likely at his reaction, but there was something disturbing about her that Heero immediately didn't like.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Heero asked coldly in succession.

The woman looked slightly offended, but in a good natured way.

"Is that hardly any way to act towards the person whom took you in and kept you safe?" She asked a bit reproachfully. Heero's eyes narrowed perceptively.

"That's why I'm asking you who you are." He said in response. She gave him a smile.

"Very well. I am Phenris [1]. You-" She nodded towards him. "-are Heero Yuy, and your companion-" Here, she tiled her head towards the other side of the rather large cave, closer to the fire, where the still, but familiar figure of Duo lay. "-is Duo Maxwell." She looked amused at the brief look of surprise that crossed Heero's features.

"I must say, the both of you are quite the fascinating pair." She continued after a moment of quiet in which Heero stubbornly remained silent.

"...What do you mean?" He finally asked, deciding to gather as much information as possible before making a plan of action.

"Why, the both of you are much more than you appear." She said, effectively dodging the question with a smile.

"As are you it seems..." Heero suddenly said. She only nodded.

"Very astute of you my dear. I am not really the creature you see before you, but I seem to remember that most...humans...look to this image as one of comfort. Would you rather I take my true shape?" She asked, quite politely it will be noted.

Heero nodded, not quite sure what he was agreeing to.

With a small smile, the woman simply vanished.

Heero blinked, immediately looking around to find where the woman had disappeared to, but he saw nothing of her.

"Do not be alarmed when you see me." Came her voice again from all around him. Then she walked _through_ the stone wall opposite him, the solid rock rippling like water as she did so, and continuing for a brief moment after her passage. 

Though she was not alarming to see, if one were not expecting the changes, it could be somewhat disturbing.

Before the messy haired soldier stood a _child_. 

Looking to be no older then ten or eleven summers, her skin was gray, and swirled like marble with dark and lighter patches, appearing to be cracked in places. Her hair, so earlier a pleasant mousy brown, was now granite colored, yet it still had streaks of the brown running through it, along with streaks of a deeper green that ran all the way to where it bounced and flowed about her bare ankles. Her clothes consisted of a long robe with a sash tied about her middle, the flowing cloth made from earthy tones, mostly grays and browns, with the accompanied sash a deep forest green. 

Probably the most surprising feature was her eyes. They were solid black, no iris, no white, just solid black with what looked to be flames dancing in their depths. 

Heero didn't twitch a muscle.

"What are you?" He asked instead. With a flourish and a smile, the girl swept her arms wide.

"I, young Heero, am Phenris, one of the four physical embodiments of our world."

-----------------------------------

1. pronounced Fenris, with an emphasis and bit of a roll on the R. In Norse mythology, Fenris (also known as Fenrir) was a wolf born of Loki that would oppose the gods at Ragnarok, the ending of the world. It was bound beneath the earth until that time. It's often depicted in games (FF games mostly) as an earth spirit. (Don't ya just love that old mythology? I know I do *grin*)

Ah, the engaging plot twist. Everyone with me now, Ohhhhhhh.

Review, Review!!


	13. Chapter 13

….one hundred Reviews. *gapes* Ok, as payment for this, I am definitely drawing you guys some piccys.

Aishiteru minna san!!

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 13

Heero blinked as the little girl said this.

"The embodiments of our world?" He asked, slightly perturbed. The girl nodded, her multicolored hair rippling down in glowing waves.

"I am the earth spirit, what many would call…the mother earth." She said, black eyes wide with what appeared to be barely suppressed youthful amusement as she watched his compelling reaction. "My sisters are the air, fire, and water spirits."

Skepticism was Heero's inevitable reaction, and he now looked at her again in this new light. Ironic, he thought, that the mother earth would be a child.

"Right now, you are doubting my credibility…" She murmured knowingly. "I understand that it is hard to get past my outer appearance, but be assured; I am who I claim to be."

"And how do you expect me to believe that?" He asked almost indifferently, now surreptitiously glancing around for the weapons he could feel were no longer on his person.

With a slight nod, as if she had expected the question, which was quite possible, she moved over to the stone wall, raising a small hand to its smooth length.

"Your companions are not far from here…" She murmured. "They are searching for you both. The elvish commander does not wish to remain, but the others still wish to search further. They fear for the worst…"

Heero angled his cobalt gaze to her as she said this.

"How do you know these things?" He asked. She glanced back at him, those black eyes peering straight into his soul with a clarity even Heero himself could see. Then she traced a light circle against the wall, touching it with her fingertips. 

Much to Heero's wonder, the stone there changed, becoming transparent. Then he realized, not transparent, but a window of sorts, as a picture of the elvish party came into view.

"I can see all that happens on my ground. As my ground consists of all the world, I have but to think of a place and can then see it and all that transpires." She again looked back at him.

"You have no idea how far back a world can remember..." She murmured, with a hint of sadness it seemed.

Directing his attention back to the view portal, she swiped her hand across it, changing the picture. The elves blurred away, and Quatre and Wufei came into view. Heero was almost surprised to see the silent figure of Trowa there as well, but then again, Quatre had his methods.

"They have parted ways." She said, voice back to the cheery, yet paradoxically undermining tone. "The elven leader wanted to continue hunting the black dragon, whilst your companions wished to be certain you both were lost beyond their aid."

They should have continued with the mission, Heero thought, while Phenris passively watched him.

"They care about you too much..." She said, again reading his thoughts. He angled a glare at her, but she didn't show any inclination to react to it.

"Your dream..." She instead began, turning from the stone wall as the pictures faded and again became so much rock. "You never answered me what you dreamt."

The sudden change of subject threw him for only a second. He considered not answering her, but for some reason he _did _believe that she was who she said she was. Perhaps the way her eyes had bored into his core being, looking past all the barriers, and the inhuman coldness that had grown within him to the still living, breathing center.

"I saw a great animal..." He began slowly, hesitantly. Standing was tiring his already sore body, so he sat on the edge of the bed he had previously occupied. "Black. I believe it was a dragon. It rose from the flames that were the ground, and flew towards me. Then the flames grew, shaping themselves into a bird equal in size to the dragon, wreathed in flames. A bolt of lightning struck the ground between them, then they both attacked whatever caused it in unison, killing it, but it killed the dragon in the process..." He paused for a moment after the unusually long string of words left his lips. "The bird...it cried its loss...and then I woke up." That cry still made him shiver as he recalled its horrible pain.

Looking up, he met Phenris' black gaze. She nodded slowly after a moment.

"Time is short then..." She said, taking a step back from him. Then she turned, heading over to where Duo lay.

Following, Heero glanced down at Duo as she pulled up a low stool next to his bed.

"Do you know why you have possession of your gift?" She suddenly asked him. Heero blinked.

"My ...gift?" He asked, somewhat perplexed. She turned to look at him.

"Know you not that you have the gift of the Phoenix?" She questioned. "Your abilities. They were given to you because you are brethren to them in some way or another." She looked like she had expected him to know this already.

It was news to Heero. Glancing at his hands, he eyed her.

"Phoenix? There are none still living. The last one was killed over a hundred and fifty years ago." He said in response. Phenris sighed, as if she were exasperated with dealing with the inept.

"Do you think I would voice something so important if I were hazarding a guess?" She asked, and Heero had to admit, at least to himself, that the question had been his first response, rather than the smartest. So he kept quiet rather than answer her again.

"I want you to use your abilities to protect him…" Phenris went on after a moment of silence. Heero blinked at the abrupt change in object of discussion.

"Why?" He asked, then elaborated on his query, adding one of the most important questions he had to ask to it. "Why, of all of us, was he singled out?" 

She at first did not answer him, looking the long haired youth over with hooded eyes. 

"…That storm was sent by a powerful sorcerer." Phenris finally said quietly. "He wants this boy out of the way."

"Why? Who is he, and what threat does Duo pose to him?" Heero immediately asked again.

"…Sarkan knows that if this boy ever broke free of his chains, he would have no chance of succeeding in his plans." Phenris said quietly, extending her hands over Duo's prone body.

"Chains?..." He was silent for a stunned minute. His eyes strayed to the abrasive collar about Duo's pale neck, and understanding dawned. "...What is this...Sarkan...planning?" He then asked slowly.

Phenris looked up at him, and for a moment, he had a glimpse of the world through her eyes. Through the years upon end that she had lived, aging her in his own eyes a million times over. Every war that so called sentient creatures had created, every death, every birth, even down to the very first living being that had crawled from the primordial ooze with her gentle aid behind it. But he also saw her helpless frustration at not being able to stop those deaths and wars. All she could do was watch as her children died.

"...He wants to open a portal to the lower realm. He's summoning forth his master, a terrible being that once loose, would bring death and destruction upon the entire world..." Her voice was eerily quiet, expressing no emotion that Heero could detect. It would have been disturbing coming from anyone, but coming from an apparent child's lips, the implications seemed almost too horrible to contemplate lest one go mad.

"...Does he know?" Heero asked, motioning to the unconscious youth on the bed. Phenris gently shook her head.

"No. Some time ago, Sarkan got his hands on him. He locked away this boy's essence in a diamond placed atop his staff. All of his memories were washed away, leaving him empty and powerless." Her hands began to glow a soft white, the light reflecting in her eyes. Eyes that showed the most profound sadness in their black depths.

"Sarkan stole his soul..."

Heero was startled as she almost silently uttered this, so much that it stilled his natural habit to question for a while.

The white light suffused from her hands, and flowed like silken fog over Duo's body. Despite the fact that Heero could not readily see what was taking place, he had a feeling that she was speeding his recovery and return to consciousness. 

After a while, the light dissipated.

"That's all I can do at the moment…" She murmured, lowering her hands from over Duo's still inert body. "If I go too fast, there could be lasting damage…and the rest he can handle himself."

Finding his ability to speak once again, Heero made an attempt to voice the thoughts and questions that had been spiraling about the inside of his mind.

"You…you said that Duo's…essence...was sealed away. What did you mean by that?" He asked slowly.

Turning black voids on him, Phenris simply watched him for a moment, not answering. She almost looked to be judging him in some way. After a time, she came to a decision, for she stood, and walked the few steps to where he sat.

Despite the fact that she was so diminutive in stature, Heero had to look up from where he was sitting to meet her eyes.

"The one you know as Duo…his real name is Shinigami." She said quietly. "Sarkan took his true form from him, and left him as human, hoping it would do to keep him out of the way. The two are separate beings, yet share the same soul. However…" Here she paused, glancing over at the youth. "Shinigami's great spirit is not one to bow down submissively to being the slave of another. He is trying to break free of Sarkan's control and return to Duo so the two can be one again. It slowly kills the both to be so separated." 

She angled her eyes to Heero, the soft orbs suddenly as sharp as her voice.

"I charge you, Heero Yuy, as everything you are, to protect him. He is the only being with the power to stop Sarkan's master. But…not only must you protect Duo…you must find Shinigami's soul and release it. Then will the two be one. 

Then will the great black dragon fly free again."

-----------------------------------

Mwahahaha!!! 

Yay for the wooshy-ness ^_^

Review, Review!!


	14. Chapter 14

*Jumps up and down* Weee! I have the first piccy done and up!! If you want to see it, copy and paste this url.

hseru.deviantart.com (if the page doesn't come up, please tell me)

Woot! It's a bit down the page, and _I _even think it turned out well. (and I also happen to be my worst critic.)

Cheers ^_^

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 14

Heero found, upon reaching the fresh air above ground, that the storm was well past gone. The sky was clear and ironically bright for that which he himself had just learned. 

The world had to be laughing at him.

It had just thrown the overwhelming combination of learning that he was part phoenix somehow, and that the mysterious youth his band had 'rescued' from a dragon was in fact, the dragon he was rescued from. Not to mention that now, there was a powerful sorcerer bent on world destruction thrown into the mix, about to let loose a demon that would destroy all of creation unless said dragon could be rejoined from where it had been split into two bodies sharing the same soul.

Yeah, it must be freaking hilarious right about now.

After his initial shock, for Phenris had given a few moments, he allowed the perfect soldier to slip into place to cover his absurd surprise, and began the process of gathering his company together again.

Volunteering the information that both his and Duo's Illians were under her care, Phenris suggested that he ride out to meet them. Fortunately, no one had been injured, so they only need wait for Duo to wake. Heero vaguely wondered what the earth spirit would tell him when he woke up. Part, whole, or none of his apparently very interesting life that he knew nothing about.

With a wave of her slender and equally small hand, a tunnel had appeared that would lead to where the steeds were being cared for. A simple thought had all of his weaponry save for the long sword laying at his feet. Heero had aimed a questioning glance at the notable absence, and the earth spirit had merely shook her head with an annoyingly mysterious "It's not ready yet."

Instead of offering some sort of offense, Heero merely picked up the items, and shrugged with minimal difficulty into them, relying upon the fact that should something arise, he would be able to handle himself with a long dagger, and the boot knife despite his less than perfect physique at the moment.

Turning on his heel, he'd traveled down the long tunnel with easy, yet determined strides, the walls alight with a soft glow that seemed to diffuse from the very rock.

A more steady and bright light filtered from ahead, and he finally emerged into a cavern equal in size to the one he'd just left. It was divided into two sections, one Illian in each, and the light came from overhead, where the pocked ceiling opened up to the world above. A glance was all that was needed to see that the mounts were being very well cared for. Their saddles were off and hanging on a stalagmite that jutted from the floor in so convenient a place that he didn't even bother to wonder about it.

Taking hold of his Illian's saddle and bridle, he tacked out the white steed in a matter of moments, his sore muscles easing into the movements with little to no protest, though they would voice their opinion at times. 

His Illian nudged him gently as he worked, whickering softly, and he decided then and there to give the mount a name, seeing as the beautiful animal belonged to him now.

"...Shiroi."[1] He murmured, pausing to give the Illian's silky strong neck a gentle pat that looked beyond what he was capable of showing when emotions were considered. It was overall, something that seemed meaningless, but Heero had always believed that things once named could better understand, and in turn be understood better. 

After that brief show, he mounted the newly christened Illian, who pranced about beneath him as if it felt some sort of new energy bequeathed unto it simply by being given a name.

A long upwards angled ramp of packed earth lay across the room, and he kneed Shiroi towards it, the stallion tossing its head and mane in anticipation of being in the open again.

After a while of uphill riding, a sharp bend suddenly released a torrent of light upon Heero's eyes, and he was forced to raise a hand to them as the Illian trotted onto the grassy earth, the free wind tugging gently at his unruly hair.

He felt the need to take a deep breath, and after doing so, angled his cobalt eyes about in search for some sign of his companions.

In the not so far distance, a faint, thin column of smoke rose above the sparse trees, and Heero gave a heel tap to Shiroi's sides, breaking the stallion into a ground eating canter that would have him there in no time.

...

Eyes fluttering open, Duo had to take a moment to let the unusual blurriness in his sight pass before he could successfully look around. His surroundings were surprising, to say the least. After all, the last thing he remembered was seeing the blazing slash of light before his eyes, and being thrown into the air and out of the saddle. 

Now, he was in a dark, warm room complete with a fire flickering in the hearth not some five or six feet from his bed.

Then things seemed to expand before his eyes, and the details he'd missed at first told him something was a bit off. For instance, the walls and ceiling, so earlier seeming smooth, were pockmarked, like water had eaten them away, and with a start, he realized that's exactly what had happened.

Now, he didn't know why he hadn't seen it earlier. Jut how obvious does a hole in the ground have to be before someone notices?

Shifting so that he could sit up and swing his legs off the side of the bed, the room spun about him for a moment before settling into its right place. He felt nothing that could be considered pain, which was weird considering what had happened. 

Turning his head to look about, his violet eyes came to rest on the figure of a young girl seated just to where he would not have been able to see her were he still laying down.

"Who are you? Where am I?" He questioned, unknowingly using the same opening words as Heero before him, but it will be noted, with a great deal less of a cold nature to his voice.

"You are underground, in my dwelling place. I am Phenris, the-"

"The spirit of the earth…" Duo quietly finished for her, then blinked. 

Where had that come from? The words and knowledge had suddenly appeared to him out of the void that was his memory.

And the young girl was watching him with a slight smile. He frowned.

"Sorry…keep going." He muttered.

With a nod, her unusually long hair rippling with the movement, Phenris folded her hands into her lap, a disturbingly mature looking move.

"Your companions are some distance away from here, but Heero Yuy has ridden out to fetch them back. They will be here before too long, but before they return, I have something to give you."

Blinking, Duo watched her as she rose gracefully to her feet. She then walked to the far end of the cavern, and picked up a small pouch that looked to be made of an unusual shimmering hide of some sort. It practically moved of its own accord within her hold.

"I was given this some time ago by...a dear friend...and I believe he would like me to give it in turn, to you." She said softly as she laid the small package in Duo's waiting hands. The hide was soft to the touch, and gleamed in the flickering fire light. 

With fingers that for some reason were suddenly trembling, Duo slowly folded back the hide.

There within the glittering folds, a small black stone rest in a silver setting ornately designed with what seemed to be elvish style vines and leaves. A long, brightly burnished chain connected to the top of the setting made long loops about it, and now not encased within the hide, spilled off the edge of Duo's hand to dangle in the quiet air.

"What…what is this?" He asked quietly, but the fact that he was not answered did not register upon his mystified mind. It looked so familiar to him, and yet...

His field of sight narrowed to that single black stone, like a void sucking in all light about it, yet possessing a tiny, bright point of light at its heart.

Then he picked it up, and the world fell away as an apparition rose before his eyes, as if he himself were sucked into that very void.

A blue blackness surrounded him, the rush of wind in his ears the only sound clearly audible. The bright point of light at its center multiplied a hundred fold, and spread above before and behind him, twinkling merrily in the night. 

A pulsing sound reached his ears above the roar of the wind, and he vaguely wondered what could be causing it. Turning his head, an ebony sail came into view just behind him. Two, to be exact. And they moved.

The pulsing was these vast stretches of black moving up and down against the wind, providing lift for whatever being they served. 

And with a jolt, Duo suddenly realized who he was. What he was. And the realization drove everything else away.

The vision left him feeling unbearably empty as he again found himself sitting on the edge of a bed, under the ground, and not soaring so free in the open skies.

It was almost too painful to bear.

With haunted, empty eyes, he looked up at Phenris, who had an infinitely sad expression on her face. His hand was now clenched tightly about the small pendant which had suddenly become his link to reality.

And then that small reality was all that held him as another horrible realization came to him.

Duo was the one...the thing that had burned the convent, and all the people there. The lives of men, women, and children he'd known and cared for now so much charred earth because of him.

"Gods..."He whispered, his heart hurting beyond nearly anything he'd felt before.

"Phenris..." He again whispered, almost pleading as some semblance of life returned to his features, though it was only a shadow of what had earlier resided there.

"...Duo...Shinigami" She answered in a quiet voice, both names having a visible impact upon the long haired youth before her.

Duo's eyes fell to his tightly clenched fist, and almost of its own accord, it opened, revealing the pendant that had given him back some small part of himself. 

At what cost had he been separated...

Moving slowly, the young girl gently took hold of the long chain, and lifted it from Duo's now lax hand. She then slipped it over his head where it fell against his chest, at level with his heart.

"Keep this with you always..." She murmured as she did so, one hand moving to lay against the side of his face to hold his attention away from the past. "Its connection to Shinigami will allow your most important memories to break through the powerful spell upon you."

And Duo understood despite the barrage of images that now flashed through his mind, for he now remembered whom had given her the small stone.

Himself.

It was made from the purest of black onyx, seethed in his own blood and sealed with fire. It was a blood bound guarantee that Phenris would have been able to call upon his aid at any time, any place she might need it. A gift, from a friend who had lived so long that the words 'lasting friendship' didn't mean much.

Of course, not a lot of things meant much to a mind that had seen the birth and death of countless civilizations; cultures that rise from the dust only to return to it in the form of ashes in so short of a time, as all things eventually do...

except...

-----------------------------------

1. Shiroi literally means 'white' in Japanese. Cheap, I know, but *shrugs* oh well, ne?

Woot! Completion of another chapter, and a piccy ^_^ How much head way is that, I ask you?

Lots!

Will have more to come, and yes, this is going to be a long story. Sit back, and enjoy the ride.

Review, Review!!


	15. Chapter 15

Yes, an update on that day of turkey eating. Enjoy ^_^ (and if you don't celebrate it, then happy for you too)

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 15

Quatre, Wufei, and Trowa were quite disheartened when Heero finally found them. The fact that they had built a fire so visible in the daylight was proof to that.

Figuring they had lost their two companions to the storm, the three had been at a bit of a loss for what to do. The elvish party was too far ahead to catch up to now, and it would be highly difficult to continue with only three, though three was the original party's number.

Allowing their mounts time to rest was the only thing they could readily decide on doing, so they had stopped midday after riding hard through the storm, and the following night.

Both Wufei and Quatre set at least part of the blame upon themselves, as they should have followed Heero. However, the two's Illians, and Quatre's Arabian, had going further into the storm last in their minds. They had made it well evident, as they kept their own heads despite their riders' attempts to turn them.

The only fortunate thing it seemed was Milliardo's kindness in allowing Wufei to keep the Chestnut mare whom he'd actually grown attached to. The Illian seemed all too happy with the new arrangements, and its new name of Usui. [1] It seemed the Elvish did not name their steeds, because they believed a name gave the earth something to hold to, thereby steeling the fleet nature of the Illians.

Heero found them there, a couple of candle marks past noon, tending to the steeds. He dismounted, and whispered to Shiroi to wait for him a moment.

Wufei was the first to see him, and he was stunned to speechlessness. The swords master actually dropped the curry brush he'd been using on Usui.

Trowa was next, as his Illian nickered softly at the sudden intrusion. He glanced over the tall reddish brown back, and as his eyes met the sight, a small smile crept to his lips, just barely there.

Quatre was the last to notice. 

"Heero....Heero!" He said, dashing over to the taller boy. His eyes glittered with barely contained joy.

"Gods, what happened to you? We searched everywhere..." The little mage was smiling brightly, but it dimmed somewhat as he saw that the stoic soldier was alone.

"Duo...is he..?" He asked hesitantly, almost afraid of the answer. 

If he were anyone else, the sound of Duo's name would have made Heero twitch. As it was, he nearly winced.

"Duo's...fine." He got out. "He's merely sleeping now."

The bright smile returned with the brilliancy of before.

"This…this is wonderful!" Quatre said, then suddenly seemed to deflate somewhat. "We...we feared the worst." Glancing around at the other two, he turned back to Heero.

"When you left, we tried to follow you. I saw the lightning strike several times where you had ridden to...it left little to the imagination. But when the storm let up, we returned to search."

Heero felt an unusual emotion welling up in him towards the little blond. It was gratitude.

Allowing the brief shadow of a smile to cross his lips, Heero nodded.

"I'm glad to see you're still with us." Wufei finally added, smiling.

"Where were you all this time?" Quatre asked.

Heero set in to tell _nearly _everything that had transpired since their separation. Noted key elements were withheld.

...

The three, now four, rode towards the cave opening that would lead back down into the earth. It had taken near to no time for them to be ready to go, and it might even be said that they were a bit...excited...to be meeting the spirit of the earth. Definitely something one did not do every day.

The opening was in the same place Heero had left it, and he slowed Shiroi down a bit so that their eyes could adjust to the sudden dim interior.

A few moments more of riding had them in the cavern where Duo's Illian was still stabled, but there were more divisions now, one for each mount. Taking the time to properly care for the mounts first, Heero then led them through the second tunnel to the second cavern.

No one was there.

A moment of panic took hold of Heero before Phenris entered from the other side, a smile on her child like face.

"Welcome all." She said quietly, spreading her arms before her. A moment was taken for introductions, where after Quatre got to the question Heero wanted to ask before he himself could manage to.

"Where's Duo?" The little mage put forth. "Is he well?"

With a slight nod, Phenris gave her hand a wave, and another tunnel opened before the four, much to the droll amusement of one, and astonishment of the other three. 

"Please, leave your things here. I'll see to it that they are well maintained." She began. They took her advice, and proceeded to remove their extra weaponry, which included Quatre's staff, Trowa's bow, and Wufei's swords, though both Trowa and Wufei kept various knives with them. The traveling packs eventually hit the floor as well, with less care it was noted, than the weaponry. 

Phenris went on to explain as they did this. 

"...Duo's... bathing in the hot springs. My healing has taken some of his strength, and the springs have more natural healing properties that come from herbs and medicinal rather than magical."

Quatre stopped on that one.

"Magical? But the collar...it stops all magic from being used on him." He protested.

"My magic does not stem from a single source such as most magics do." Phenris explained, now leading the way before the unladen boys into the semi lit darkness. "My power is evident in everything, even in the collar. Everything has natural bases, and thus, I have power over everything in some form or another."

That left the little blond with something to think over, which effectively quieted him.

The corridor grew chilled, being so far beneath the ground, and the warm steam that began to roll from somewhere up ahead was very much welcomed.

The room they entered was a glorious affair.

Several pools of steaming, aromatic water, of both deep and shallow nature were spread throughout the rather large cavern, the steam billowing up into the cool air masking most of the cavern from view. Thus, Duo's particular were about in the large room was unable to be determined.

The small girl turned to face them after she'd stopped.

"I suggest that you all spend some time in here as well." She said. "You are weary, and only after a soak and a long rest will I allow you to leave my hospitality."

She moved to leave, a chorus of 'thank you's following in her wake.

All of them then separated, Quatre and Trowa moving off to one side, Wufei and Heero to the other. The thick steam made visibility difficult, but it was more pleasant than anything, like a warm blanket that wrapped about them. 

Leaving Wufei with a pool to himself, the swords master already unceremoniously shucking his clothes, Heero made his way through the steam to the far end of the room.

Peeling his own clothes from his body, he laid them out, then slipped into the blissfully warm water, allowing the liquid to close over his head for a moment. He came back up breathing out then in, messy hair now plastered to his head. 

An image of a certain long haired youth entered into his mind's eye, and he wondered where within the vast room the boy could be. He certainly had not seen any evidence of Duo's presence other than Phenris' reassurance that he was indeed there.

A murmuring noise caught his attention then. It sounded like voices, or a voice.

Figuring it was merely one of the others, Heero didn't bother to investigate, until the unmistakable sound of sobbing could be heard.

That perked his interest then, and he moved through the waist deep water to the other side of the large pool he'd chosen.

There, in a very shallow pool, sitting in all his glorious nudity with his back to an astonished Heero, was Duo, hunched over, knees to his chest, and shoulders shaking with the small sounds coming from him. His hair was down and wet, the long chestnut locks running down his smoothly contoured back to pool about his narrow hips on the ground. A hint of red peeked through the brown, reminding Heero, oddly enough, of flame.

And then the oddest thing happened.

Heero felt his cheeks get warm, then hot, and only vaguely knew what was happening. The only thing he didn't have an earthly clue about was why.

He'd seen people naked before. Living in a barracks for the most of his life had practically killed any sense of modesty he owned. True, none of those around him back then had held anything for him, but that should have been the same case here as well. Why, of all times, was he blushing now?

His attention focused again as Duo lifted his head, looking about. Heero then suddenly cursed the fact that he'd forgotten about Duo's ability to know when he was being watched. Ah, well, there was no help for it now, for Duo's red rimmed violet eyes landed on him.

So he _had _been crying; the thought ran through Heero's mind.

Duo sat there, violet eyes dull.

"Well?" He suddenly said, breaking the silence. His voice was slightly nasal, another result from the crying. "Something you wanted?"

"...You were crying." Heero replied in a monotone. He rested his arms on the side of the hot spring, glad now for the fact that he was at least covered from the waist down.

"What's your point?" Duo said, putting on his defensive side. "I can do that, can't I? I'm allowed to, seeing as I was the one responsible for the deaths of a good twenty people, including children no older than seven. People who trustingly took me in, then were _burned alive_ in a church." His tone was so heavy with bitter self loathing that Heero could almost feel it pulling him down.

"...that wasn't your fault..." Heero said, just a bit softer than the ever-present monotone.

"Oh really? Didn't ya hear? I'm Shinigami. The terrible black dragon. Peachy keen here, I'll tell ya now." He spat out. "Yeah, not my fault my ass...." The steam billowed up then, making his form seem fuzzed out.

Taking the opportunity, Duo stood, and grabbed his clothes without saying a word. Then he turned to go.

"Duo..." Heero called after, making the youth pause for a moment.

"It _wasn't _your fault. Sarkan was controlling Shinigami by then. _You _had nothing to do with their deaths." He said, trying to get the youth to understand.

Duo's back was to Heero, so the soldier just barely heard what he said before he left.

"...then why do I remember doing it?"

-----------------------------------

1. Japanese for 'light'

Awww! Duo's just so angsty and kawaii ^_^

That's why we all love him, because he's so good at those angst scenes. Especially the ones where he blames himself...which happens a lot, poor guy.

And Heero's being all fluffy. Isn't that nice ^_^'

Review, Review!!


	16. Chapter 16

A note to my faithful reviewers, I once more love you all. To shinwa no akuma, as in many cases, _both _the words _usui_ and _hikari _could mean 'light' in Japanese, (I seem to remember something like that) with different specific meanings. Or I could just be off on my translation. Either way, thanks for the drop. ^_^

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 16

A sigh escaped from dusky lips as Quatre relaxed into the springs water. Even the stone he rested against was warmed by the steaming water, and it felt good to be able to relax after so much built up tension had him wired almost past exhaustion. 

The suddenly comforting presence at his back laid warm hands on his shoulders, kneading the knotted muscles there. He nearly fainted with the pleasure of it.

Raising his own slender hand after a moment, he took hold of one of those working at his shoulders, and pulled the person around, and gently into the water beside him.

"Thank you..." He said, smiling at Trowa even as the elf allowed himself to relax next to the mage. That same little smile was all the reply he got, but it was enough.

Dunking under, Quatre missed it when Duo flashed past them, but Trowa didn't. Even through the steam, his keen elvish sight could pick out the various details that told him something had happened, and that they did not yet know everything about the situation. He would have to confront Yuy later to find out what was going on.

That same sense of foreboding wrapped itself about his heart, and worried thoughts almost teasingly chased themselves about his mind for a long time after that. Fortunately, the little mage beside him did not notice anything untoward in his companion's silent attitude, so he was not questioned about it.

...

Duo fled from the hot springs. He paused only long enough at the tunnel's entrance to put on clothes, and tie his hair back with the small piece of leather he used, then kept going until he reached the stable cavern, bypassing Phenris in the main cavern on the way, the earth spirit looking after him with a mirror image of his own pain on her features. 

Despite the torture his memories caused him, he was indeed wearing the small onyx pendant. 

Upon entering the large cave, he immediately went over to his silk black Illian, murmuring niceties to her, his hand coming up to rub at the whorl of hair right between her eyes. She nuzzled him comfortingly.

Despite the fact that someone who could reply in kind would have made a better listener, Duo needed someone who would _just _listen, instead of reply. He didn't want pity, which he was sure he had seen in the messy haired soldier's eyes.

He wanted hatred. 

He wanted to be told he was a monster. It would have been sardonically gratifying to hear it from someone else's lips, but so far, no one had offered to do so.

"Murasaki...why...why did this have to happen to me?"[1] He whispered, addressing the mare before him. She whickered softly in return, whiskered muzzle pressed into his chest as he wrapped his arms about her majestic head.

"Living _without _my damn memories was better than this..." He again whispered, closing his eyes as he laid his head against her warm, velvet hide, finding some comfort in the simple gesture of need. 

...

After Duo took his leave, Heero was too bothered to relax again, effectively ruining his hot soak. He did stay in for a time, simply for the benefits to his worn body, but his active mind did not allow him to enjoy it.

Duo blamed himself.

Apparently, Duo had gotten his memories back, or Phenris had explained to him the situation. This changed everything he thought about his past, making it a short and bittersweet fantasy where a deeper darkness lurked.

When Quatre had told him about Duo's violent and sad past, he _had _felt a stab of pity for the poor guy. The idea that some flying beast had taken his friends and newly acquitted family from him must have given Duo some sense of ease for a while, but now, everything was different. Heero could almost not imagine what kind of pain that must be causing the long haired youth. After all, Heero had lost his own adoptive family. It had been painful, yes, but the fact that he was disowned for something that he himself could not have helped even if he wanted to had severely lessened what pain there might have originally been. To have unknowingly killed them by his own hand while love was still strong however...

That was something all too terrible for the human mind to grasp.

Good thing Duo wasn't human.

Now stop it, he told himself. If you want to venture down that road, don't forget to include yourself in that mental picture of inhumanity. 

That bit of recently acquired information weighed heavy on him, that it did, and would probably do so until he could properly sort it into the reality he had made for himself. It just didn't fit at the moment, so he put it aside for future contemplation.

Duo was the now. Duo, and Shinigami. They had unwittingly become the new mission.

And this time, it was a mission to save more than just the prosperity of the land. Failure meant the death of everything they knew.

What was it Duo had said? Peachy keen? Whatever the hell it actually meant, it sounded about right to describe the situation at hand with as much sarcasm as humanly (or otherwise) possible.

Finally tired of arguing with even himself, Heero gave up on the hot spring, and climbed out. Walking back towards the cave opening, he found several folded towels laying there ready for use, as well as new, clean clothes. Grabbing one, and committing to memory the promise to again thank Phenris, he dried off, then slipped into the new clothes, consisting of dark breeches, and a lighter, loose shirt secured with a belt. He had loathed the thought of putting the filthy apparel back on after his soak, but there had originally been no help for it. One did what they must.

The clean, surprisingly silken cloth felt marvelous and cool against his heated skin, and he walked with easy steps back down the long tunnel to the main cavern.

He found Phenris there seated in front of the hearth fire, her back to him, and his sword before her. It sat within the flames, on second look, not quite in the flames, but a foot or so above them, yet it did not seem to be touched by the heat. The hilt, well worn with use, practice, and the amount of care that went into it, was grasped by what looked to be a hand made of solid rock, extending upwards out of the ground through the wood the fire licked hungrily at and around.

Knowing that he shouldn't interfere with whatever was taking place, Heero contented himself to watch with a careful eye. The earth spirit's small hands were up, and she chanted something that sounded arcane under her breath. The flames then leapt upwards, engulfing the sword, and stone hand in what seemed to be writhing tentacles of heat. It was obstructed from view for a long moment, and when was finally revealed again, was blackened beyond being able to tell what color it had originally been, curls of smoke rising from its superheated surface.

"Heero Yuy...come forth" Phenris said suddenly, still without turning to look at him. Doing as he was told, Heero moved forward until he stood abreast of her. She extended a hand outwards to the sword yet within the flames, the stone hand gone.

"Grasp your sword." She commanded. Heero hesitated. Surely the metal would be scorching hot. To take hold of it now would peel the skin from his hand.

"Grasp. Your. Sword" Phenris said again, in a tone that brooked no argument, even from one such as he. Steeling himself to seal what pain might come away, Heero reached into the fire, and took hold of the hilt of his blackened sword.

The heated metal seemed to melt into his hand, scorching everything from blood and muscle, to bone. The heat radiated from his hand and up, taking the pain with it, a thousand hot needles searing into his flesh, pulsing with his heart, and traveling further up. His lips were pressed tightly together, eyes closed. The agony was horrific, but in all, it only lasted a handful of seconds. 

Reeling from the sudden absence of what he had thought would be debilitating injuries, Heero looked down at the hand that held his sword, surprised to see it intact, and hale. The surprisingly cool hilt beneath his fingers left his hand covered in black, but now did no more. And something was...different.

The sword had a shine to it that it had not possessed before.

Heero felt Phenris press a cloth into his hand, and he immediately went to rubbing off the black soot that covered its length.

Underneath it was revealed a sword whose blade was made of black crystal. The thought that it would never be able to be used in combat again crossed Heero's mind, that crystal would not be able to take the impact against steel and still be whole. But then he did a double take. 

That wasn't crystal...it was solid black diamond.

"This is all that I may give you to aid you on your journey." Phenris said quietly, watching him with eyes that matched the black of the sword's blade.

"That sword will never break in combat, and it will never dull. It has a monofilament edge that can cut through anything put before it. And..." Here, she raised a hand to lay it upon Heero's, the one that gripped the hilt of the fabulous weapon.

"It will protect you. I have instructed the diamond and steel it is made of to aid you. Use it well my little one, for I fear that you will be put to sore trial to recover Shinigami's soul."

Meeting her eyes, Heero gave a slight nod of understanding. The earth spirit then reached down to her feet, where a sheath Heero had not at first noticed lay. It might have not even been there before. Straightening, she looked up at him, presenting the sheath to him. It was not made from cured leather, as most at that time were, but from a metal that shimmered under her hand and was wrought with an ancient language that had not seen the light of day for thousands of years. He took it in his free hand, surprised at how light it was, and held both for a moment before sending the diamond blade home with an unusually metallic ring of noise.

"Thank you..." He said after a moment, angling cobalt eyes to her. The earth spirit simply nodded in return. Then she glanced towards the opening that led to the stabling cavern, a slight frown coming to her childish face.

"...Duo needs you now." She said quietly, looking back at him with ageless eyes. "Go and be his strength. Gods know, he's going to need it before this is all over..."

With yet another nod, and an odd look, Heero paused long enough to loop the sword's new sheath through the belt he wore, securing it there before moving out without another word.

As he disappeared into the gloom, Phenris sat back down on the small stool, watching his dissipating figure.

"Gods know...you'll all need it..." She whispered.

-----------------------------------

1. Japanese for 'purple'

Ooooh...Heero and Duo-ness. If anyone has any good ideas for the next scene, I'm all ears. I'm a bit stuck as for what to do, and which way to go. Push them apart, or pull them together, as is the greatest power of the author.

Feed me Seymour, Feed me!

Ok...not so sure where that one came from...but who knows. It is 2:23 am right about now. That's probably where it came from. ^_^'

Cya next chapter!!

Review, Review!!


	17. Chapter 17

As per say, I had the most votes to pull the two of them together (of which I agreed ^_^) So here's the next chapter, complete with pull together-ness A quick note to Mareimaea, I thought of the same thing. See what comes out of it.

Enjoy 

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 17

Heero walked at first down the tunnel with determined strides, but as he neared the cavern, his step became more hesitant, which was unlike his usual straightforward manner. Gathering himself, he entered the cavern where the steeds were all quietly stabled.

At first he didn't see where Duo was, but a closer scan revealed him seated on the inside of his black Illian's stall like area, back against the cold stone, and his hair still wet enough to be dripping behind him. His knees were again drawn up, head resting against his arms, which were wrapped about his knees. The sleek ebony mare was close to him, as if guarding her newfound master.

She didn't voice anything as Heero approached, but the very clear look in her eyes and the tilt of her ears said one step closer and prepare for a beating.

Heero stopped just outside the small area.

"Go away..." Duo's muffled voice came without him even bothering to look up.

"No..." Was Heero's simple answer. To his surprise, his answer wrought a strangled laugh from Duo.

"You couldn't catch a clue if it hit you in the face..." The long haired youth said, now raising his head enough to allow Heero a good view of him. His eyes were dry, but still a bit red, and angled to the ground directly in front of him. A bitter smirk was on his face, one that looked so terribly wrong on the person Heero had come to know as cheerful in the past several days.

"I'm not him..." Duo suddenly said in a low voice. Heero took an automatic step forward to better hear him, stopped from taking another only by Murasaki's threatening stamping of her thunderous gray hooves.

"...What do you mean?" He asked from where he stood. He didn't immediately get an answer.

"Duo-"

"I'm not Shinigami." Duo interrupted when Heero made to repeat the question.

"I know tha-"

"No!...no, you don't." Duo again interrupted, hugging his knees tighter. Despite what he was, Heero thought he looked so terribly young and vulnerable at that moment.

"I'm not Shinigami. We are two different beings all together." Duo began, resisting the urge to heave a sob. Damn, but his life sucked now. "Given some of my memories back, I can see that clearer than anyone else." He leaned his head forward to his arms again, muffling his next words.

"When we are once more whole, I probably won't exist anymore."

Heero blinked.

"What?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"I, me, the person that is Duo Maxwell will likely cease to be when we are joined again." Duo clarified in a torn voice. "I was broken from Shinigami's own being when we were split. The me I am right now is only a place holder for the real personality. The rejoining will leave only the true spirit behind..."

This little bit of information rocked Heero. Duo would be gone. 

"Are you sure of this?" He asked. Duo nodded faintly from where his head rest.

"About as certain as anything else is right now. Phenris explained everything that happened, filling in the gaps in my memory." He began, the words still muffled. "Sarkan split me from Shinigami, as the soul that was needed for him to resist being under a spell. He put me in human form, as the easiest to control, and placed this damnable collar about my throat." Here, Duo lifted a hand to the iron about his pale neck, gingerly touching the metal that constantly scorched him. "It's iron..." He murmured. "Because of it, Shinigami will not be able to take me into himself again. Because of it, I have been given a life only to have it taken away." His hand tightened about the deceptively innocent looking metal, as if to try and rip it from himself. "...Because of this, the both of us will die, effectively sealing my soul in hell were it belongs..."

Heero was speechless when Duo finished. He just couldn't think of anything to say to this. Duo's complete and utter fix of hatred on himself, coupled with the fact that his personality and mind might not live long enough to atone for what he considered his crimes gave him an all too strong conviction. Heero had the daunting task of reversing that, and he silently cursed whatever god was playing with them for his amusement.

"Duo..." He began quietly. "I..I can't tell you otherwise on this. You know better than I what the circumstances are. The only thing I can tell you is something you already know. When you and Shinigami are joined, then Sarkan's plan will be halted..." He paused for a moment before voicing the faint hope that for some reason burned small, yet brightly within him like a strong candle flame.

"There's a chance that you will still be you after the two of you are one again..."

There was silence for a moment, then Duo finally looked up at him.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked quietly. "Why are you pretending to care? I know Phenris put you up to protecting me, but I don't need it. I relieve you of that foolishness here and now."

"Yes, she 'put me up to it'." Heero said staunchly after a moment. "I made a vow to her that I will not break. It includes making sure you are kept from harm."

"So you've been turned into a great bloody bodyguard." Duo sneered. "How fitting."

For some reason, a flare of anger boiled up within Heero at this obstinate creature before him. Would there be no getting though his abnormally thick skull? With that thought, he strode forward, making the ebony mare start to in a flurry of motion, tagged hooves striking sparks against the stones at the ill will she though she felt in the young man before her.

"Murasaki!" Duo yelled, getting to his feet to quiet the Illian who reared back and up, hooves pawing the air. Grabbing hold of her halter, he pulled the mare's head down and around to him to meet her dark crystalline eyes.

"Murasaki, stop it." He commanded, and the mare immediately settled. She nudged his chest in quiet apology. "He's ok." Duo whispered to the large animal. "I know I asked for you to keep everyone away from me, but I need to talk to Heero..."

A flash of understanding entered the Illian's eyes. With a gentle smile, the first of such Heero had seen from the boy, he gave her muscled neck a stroke, then moved to the other end of the cavern, and into the tunnel that led aboveground. Without hesitation, Heero followed him.

It was a silent walk upwards towards the free air, but Duo gave no sign of stopping until they reached aboveground. It gave Heero a moment to collect his thoughts, which had strayed horribly in the previous talk.

Duo might be gone. Why did that matter so much? The news had startled him, surely, but he had actually come to a point where Duo's cheerfulness was as normal to him as his own stoicism. Those few happier days back with the elves seemed so far gone, and yet the impact the braided youth had made upon Heero remained intact. Before this day, the youth had never seemed to lose his good cheer. The bitter resignation that lay there now was alien to him, so much so that Heero would have been willing to do nearly anything to get that good cheer back to Duo's soft features.

Once outside the cave-like tunnel, Duo turned to the left, and slipped into the small copse of trees that hid the opening. The sun was getting low in the sky, already almost touching the rim of the horizon. Heero followed Duo until the braided youth stopped before him some forty feet from the entrance.

"Now..." He began, turning to look Heero in the eye, the setting sun casting a reddish glow to the entire world, and painting an eerie scene for the two. "What was it you wanted to do before Murasaki got so worked up?" His voice had a no nonsense air to it, again so out of place that it was startling.

"This…" Heero strode forward, and Duo suddenly felt the sharp sting of a hard slap across his face, executed too fast for him to react to. The force of the blow turned his head to the side, and he slowly looked back with confused eyes at Heero, who stood solid with his arms crossed before him.

That suddenly broke the dam, and the flood waters were let loose with torrential force.

Duo fell to his knees, his face hidden in his hands, shoulders shaking with great racking sobs. With careful deliberation, Heero kneeled next to him, uncrossing his arms to lay one on Duo's shoulder. The youth cringed away from his touch, looking up at him with such dread written over his features that it took hold of Heero's heart, wringing the already mangled part until it lay gasping in his chest.

"..shhh…it's ok." He whispered, awkwardly laying his arm over Duo's shoulders. He wasn't very good at the comfort thing, but it seemed to be just what Duo needed, for the youth watched him for a moment from the close proximity out of red eyes, then launched himself at Heero, knocking the young man off his feet, and clutching at him from his new position in Heero's lap.

The suddenness of the move had initially taken Heero off guard, but now he hesitatingly wrapped his arms about Duo, and held the shaking, braided youth to him. The faint scent of something floral drifted up from the boy he held in his arms, and it was surprisingly fitting.

This is what Duo needed. 

Acceptance.

Acceptance of everything that would eventually have to happen to him, and acceptance from at least one person who gave it freely and whole heartedly.

Heero gave his acceptance, and it was given with the full knowledge that the young man he held was a 'monster'. It was given with the knowledge that Duo might not be Duo anymore once he became what he truly was, and that the youth's time was running out.

And that time seemed suddenly all too precious to him as he cradled Duo to him until the sobbing youth fell into a numbing sleep, the tears drying in salty tracks down his checks even as the sun lay to rest below the rim of the world, bathing the sky in a myriad of fabulous colors that no one seemed to have time or want to look at anymore.

It was a sad, screwed up world they had to live in...

-----------------------------------

EEE!! They're so Kawaii! ^_^ 

Ah, the get together. Tis the best part of any story, but doubly so when talking about these two. Tee hee.

Review, Review!!


	18. Chapter 18

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 18

The next thing Duo knew, he was waking to the soft feel of a bed beneath him, the unnatural flickering darkness strangely familiar. He was once more inside Phenris' cavern, only it looked like he was further back in a small cove-let that created a half room off the main one. It must be extremely helpful to be able to change one's home with a thought, he mused wryly. 

A quick glance around revealed him to not be alone, as a peacefully sleeping Quatre came into view just across the small space. Trowa was also asleep in the bed just above his, yet elvish sleep was lighter than that of humans as even the smallest sounds from the outer cavern made his pointed ears twitch. Duo would need to be careful of waking him should he wish to get up.

That was when the events of the previous day came back to him in a rush, and he was stilled with the suddenly mind-blowing implications of Heero's actions…not to mention his own. How had he gotten in bed? Surely Heero had not carried him thence forth…but that seemed to be the only explanation.

The cobalt eyed soldier must think he was terribly weak now, breaking down like that. It had never happened before, sure, but things can become overwhelming to a person who just learned the unavoidable date of his death, or rather, inexistence.

What would that feel like, not existing? His mind wandered for a moment at the possibilities. To no longer be able to feel the wind in his hair, the cool splash of water against parched skin; to never again see the sky as deep a cerulean blue as a certain someone's eyes…

Or would he be like a trapped mind within the being that was Shinigami? Not able to control his own actions, only part to a whole, yet with an awareness of his own. The though made him shudder involuntarily. 

Sure, he had broken down. It would have gradually progressed into hysterics of Heero had not been so comforting…so…kind. It had been nice to fall asleep in his arms, feeling warm and surprisingly safe. Duo might have blamed him for the blow he delivered, but in the end, he felt better for it. The dread and terror were still there, but there had been a kind of release. He didn't feel quite so hopeless. 

Odd, how something like that could actually _help_ someone feel better about loosing themselves to inevitability. 

Figuring he'd spent enough time asleep, Duo silently slipped from the low bed, and padded barefoot from the small cove-let into the main room, where there was no evidence of anyone currently residing.

The others must be elsewhere at the moment, which would leave him time to think about what his next actions would be.

His mind became a rush of thoughts tossed about in a virulent sea. 

There were several possibilities for _why_ Heero had done what he had; He could have simply been showing an act of kindness in trying to comfort him, perhaps trying to get closer and earn his trust, which was actually very important if they were to be working together. Or the other option. That he felt something towards Duo.

At the thought, Duo vehemently shook his head to clear it of such fantasies, for that's all they were. It would be stupid for anyone to feel for him; he was a bloody dragon for crying out loud. And he wouldn't be human for much longer, if one looked at it from that angle. There were too many complications for anything to develop, much as he hated to admit it. 

But he'd always been like that…or for as long as he could look back anyways. Truth, the hard brutal truth seemed to be the only thing Duo could find some amount of reality in. The truth kept you sane. No use delving into feverish daydreams that would send him over the edge with want.

The abruptly absurd thought that he was too hard on himself brushed through his mind, and it actually made him laugh out loud. A repressed, half laugh true, but a laugh nonetheless. 

Needing something to take his mind off of…things…Duo moved around the cavern until he found a brush, probably left for him, and set to the rather difficult task of sorting out his tangled hair. It had been left down and wet all night, and now he was paying for it in a mass of knots that would take a bit getting out.

…

Despite the fact that Duo's exit had been quiet, it was still enough to wake the lightly sleeping elf. Propping himself up on an elbow, the brunette had watched the long haired youth leave them to their rest, probably off to think on his own.

When Heero had carried Duo in the previous night, there had been silent surprise on everyone's face but Phenris', who just gave a small, secretive smile in her own way. She had already set up the small alcove for their rest, and the stoic soldier had all too gently placed the sleeping boy on one of the beds. 

They all could see the change in him, slight though it was.

The softer tilt to his eyes, to the hard set of his mouth told more than words would or ever could. Heero Yuy was falling for the young man.

But it was an equally sad thing, for during the time the two were above ground, the rest of them were below, having the finer details of the situation explained to them.

Trowa had spoken not a word that night, but had silently thanked the gods that there was no such fateful clashing of life and death between him and his own new found angel. 

Speaking of him so, Quatre shifted in sleep, blond hair falling over closed aquamarine eyes.

A soft, gentle smile crossed the elf's lips. What he wouldn't do already for this beautiful little cherub.

He could not readily explain how or why the little mage had so captured his heart. His vivacious personality perhaps…the ways his eyes shone with joy so often, hardly a sad moment to be found in their azure depths, yet when found, expressed with such empathy towards that which saddened him. It had pulled Trowa so far, he had even been willing to leave his own kind, friends and companions alike, to follow the little blond. 

Maybe it was not so hard to understand though. He had, unexpectedly enough, found in Quatre a mate for his soul, the two of them like a child's puzzle pieces that fit together seamlessly to create a larger, vivid picture. Where Trowa was silent, Quatre spoke for him; the elf was the protector, the mage the comforter. 

Trowa was the body, where Quatre was the heart.

However it came about, for he did not wish to question providence too far, the deed was done, and the mutual agreement said that they belonged to each other now. 

Slipping from the bed, the tall elf padded on bare feet to the cot just above his, which housed the slumbering form of his cherub. Looking down on the little mage, he actually felt his insides flutter.

Gods…to think that this blond seraphim was his.

It was these thoughts that sent waves of heat flowing through him, and he quickly stifled them for lack of cold water to cool his overheated passions in.

All in good time. 

Now was not the time to be loosing one's self in the flare of passion. Things could happen without a moment's warning, and to be caught so unawares could possibly mean the death of any of them. It was not something he personally could risk, and not something he was _willing _to risk by far. There were just too many things at stake.

However...the elf did allow some of his follies. He was rarely far from Quatre's side, slight caresses slipping through to the little mage; a brush of a hand, a sweeping back of bangs from a feminine, childish face with aquamarine eyes that sparkled with barely suppressed delight. Earlier, he had spared a brief, heartfelt moment to hold the smaller boy to him in a tight embrace, resisting the all too strong urge to reach down and capture those small, exquisite lips with his own. But, he did resist, contenting himself with simply being able to touch and hold his cherub.

Now, he sat with elven grace on the side of Quatre's bed, one slender hand reaching out to confidently brush satin soft blond bangs from the sleeping face. 

It was a gesture of pure, unadulterated affection, one that was mirrored only by Quatre's complete and utter trust in the elf he'd known for so short a time.

...

Wufei, Heero, and Phenris were aboveground, mapping out their course of action and route. The cobalt eyed soldier was not about to let budding emotions interfere with keeping his company alive on this journey.

Unfortunately, Phenris had little to offer by means of vital information on Sarkan. He knew the forces that worked against him, and had powerfully spelled his keep against spies of any sort. 

It was more of a dungeon, from how the earth spirit described it; made of dark stone with an almost tangible air of foul carrion. As a trafficker in demons, their reek hung about the place as a visible pallor, dulling the colors and killing the life about the stone fortress. It stood on a barren scrap of rock where the sparse forest around it had retreated until all about the keep rest a field of granite that hosted no living thing.

It sounded desolate in the least.

Phenris did know, as she knew most things when it came to the 'where', that the sorcerer's keep lie north, in a low valley within the heart of the Northern Reaches.

They would have to cross a good half of those treacherous mountains to even get to it.

It was difficult, but not impossible. Travelers had crossed those mountains in the wilder parts, though there were routes that led through the gentler, less rugged peaks. As luck would have it, Sarkan's keep lie not too far west of one of those very routes, though a good half of the journey would have to be made in the unchartered wilds that rest beside the marked trails. 

The hardest part would be packing for the journey. They would need not only rations, but clothes better suited for cold travel than they currently had. 

The clothes could be purchased when they got closer to the mountains with the money Heero and Wufei still had from their last job. Food would be a bit more complicated, because it would be somewhat difficult to judge just how much they would need. They had no real idea how long they would be out there.

However, these were things that would have to be taken care of just prior to the ascent up into the mountainous country. Otherwise, they would be laden down with provisions that were not yet needed, forcing themselves and their mounts to carry such a load, overly taxing their vitally needed strength.

It was then, as they planned, that Phenris disclosed the most important of information to the two. 

Sarkan would open the gate at midnight on the winter solstice, the day with the longest night. The new dark moon would shadow the earth on that eve, completing the cycle that had been building for hundreds of years.

It was then, on the stroke of midnight, when the dark moon was at its peak, that Sarkan would spill the blood of a virgin to summon forth his master. Phenris had an uneasy notion that the sorcerer would be using Shinigami's power to strengthen the portal. Tremendous amounts of energy were needed to do such a thing, and there was no mortal human with that much power.

It was vital that they either delay the ceremony, or stop it all together. There would be a window of a sparse few minutes for Sarkan to work in. A short deferral was all that was required, then the freeing of Shinigami's soul came next to prevent another from rising to such heights in power.

Short and sweet, that's how it sounded, but the two of them wouldn't let such an easy sounding task take them off guard. There were too many things that could go wrong if they were late by even a day.

They had to make sure they wouldn't be.

-----------------------------------

Meh….a little birdie told me that I had too few Quatre/Trowa scenes, so here's a bit of spice for the two of them. 

Despite the fact that I originally didn't like Wufei in the series, he grew on me, and I have no intention of leaving the poor guy all alone. Now I have only to wrack my brain for a situation/person to give to him.

Aren't I nice…^_^

Erm…I guess everyone wanting me to post, (going so far as to threaten my very life @_@)is a good thing.

I be famous...wee!

For those of you who have been complaining about the shortness of each chapter, I hope to remedy that soon. I'm going to _try _and step up the ante. Don't get your hopes up though ^_^'

Review, Review!!


	19. Chapter 19

EEE! I'm sorry for so long between my update, but things seemed to be working against me of late for some reason.

First, I have company, my sister's birthday party, and then I was grounded for cryin out loud! Talk about a negative turn of events.

Anyway, this is not a longer chapter (told ya not to get your hopes up) As I struggled to get this done at any decent time, but Hopefully I can catch back up now that things are quiet again.

One can only hope, ne?

On to the story! ^_^

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 19

The group's time in Phenris' care amounted to a total of three days. The time did wondrous things for nearly everyone's state of mind. The little earth spirit felt disheartened herself though. Once again her children were going off to die, and other than what she'd already done, there was not much else she could help with. The amounts of information she could provide went only so far to aid the five in their endeavor to come. 

The inevitable date of their departure was set, for there was a total of four weeks until the night of the winter solstice. The journey across the plains would be easy, and quick, but they would need all the time they could get when they hit the mountains.

The packing was done, a surprisingly light, double canter-pack for each steed, with provisions enough to last the ride across the low lands. Phenris had provided a change of clothing for each of them, something they heartily thanked her for, not to mention all of her abounding kindness towards them.

She stood at the entrance to the tunnel, seeing them off at first light on the third day. 

Each of the five came up, and she felt the need to give each a hug, as if she felt this would be the last time she would see them. In reality though, she would be watching their progress; helping when she could, dreading when she couldn't.

Quatre was the first to approach, genially accepting her simple show of affection, and returning it whole heartedly.

"Thank you…so much for all that you've done…" He murmured, smiling brightly at the earth spirit. She gave a small, light smile in return.

Trowa was next, then Wufei, and Heero. They didn't say anything, the latter two seeming somewhat uncomfortable with the situation, but the gratitude was plain on at least two of their faces.

Duo was the last to come up to her, and it was with a mixture of sadness and a strange hope that she saw he wore the onyx pendant. There was a gleam in his eyes that spoke of an odd determination he'd gained over the last two days, thanks to the help of one Heero Yuy.

"Duo…" She said, smiling. He gave a small smile back, and the two of them embraced.

"Thank you…" He whispered, for her ears alone. "I'll free Shinigami…then come back and say hi again."

The words wrenched at her cosmic heart. Here was a boy who'd matured mentally by three thousand years in the past three days, trying to give her a sense of hope when he was having trouble retaining his own.

They parted, and with a small wave and a cheery grin, Duo walked over to where Murasaki waited patiently alongside the other already mounted steeds.

He vaulted into the saddle, and the black mare tossed her head in response, silken mane flying like a banner as the party moved out at a signal from Heero. Each steed set into a canter, a ground eating pace even Quatre's Arabian could keep for miles.

Phenris watched them go, still aboveground even as the distance lengthened, and they became vague spots of moving color on the vast stretch of gold-green land dotted with trees. Finally, with a heavy sigh, she walked to the tunnel mouth, and disappeared inside. The earth formed up around her vanished form, and slowly the only opening to the upper world collapsed back into the ground it was made from without a trace. 

…

The small posse of riders moved out across the low lands, assorted manes and tails kicked up in joy at being able to run in the open air again.

The mount's riders kept them only slightly in reign, allowing them a short run before settling them again into the slower pace, which they set to with a will.

That pace became monotonous as the time of riding extended into hours.

Sometime past noon, Heero called a halt to allow both the steeds and the riders a short rest, and a meal.

Phenris had packed an assortment of both perishable and nonperishable foods that they broke into, each of the five munching on a wedge of sharp cheese, a piece of bread, and an equally large piece of smoked deer. Because of the fact that they would be able to hunt for a lot of their food to implement with the traveling rations, the meal was intentionally light.

The steeds were given a short rub down, only a small bit of grain, for too much at one time on such a long ride could potentially hurt the beasts, and cool water from a small streamlet they'd stopped by for that purpose.

All in all, they were there a full candlemark [1] before they once again mounted up and were off.

Poor Duo, by this time his pathetically short amount of saddle time was beginning to show. Even though Murasaki's gait was smoother than any horse's, his posterior was aching from the constant movement. 

Quatre, ever the sensitive one, noticed Duo's discomfort, and pulled his Arabian up next to Duo's mount.

"Hey, you ok?" He needlessly asked.

Duo glanced over at the little mage and forced a grin.

"I'll probably be ass-less by the time this is over, but other than that I'm fine and dandy." He joked. Quatre had to laugh.

"It'll get better. You're not used to it is all." He gave a grin. "I was like that the first few days I rode all out like this. I could barely walk."

Duo grimaced at his words.

"A few days? I won't last till then." He said with mock severity. Quatre chuckled again.

The next halt wasn't called until the sun hung at the horizon, just touching the foot hills running to the west, and painting the sky with a beautiful array of colors that managed to capture all the essence of the world in a single moment.

Each one of the group had a task to set up for the night after the usual brush down of the mounts.

Because of Quatre's short word on Duo's 'condition', Heero allowed the long haired youth to work on the fire and food, using the small amounts of wood Quatre gathered from the general vicinity. 

Trowa and Wufei were sent on hunt, and ended up bringing back two wild hares and a large field bird thanks to Trowa's superb bow skills. Wufei had all three skinned, plucked, and gutted, then spit them to place upon the makeshift rotisserie Duo had set up over the small but hot fire. It was now dark, and the vast expanse of now blue-black sky was dotted with stars that twinkled all too merrily.

Heero placed out the bedrolls in a circle, checked the mounts again, then went to help Duo with the fire.

The braided youth took portions of their supplies, which included a small amount of tubers, water, about half of the meat from the still cooking hares, and placed the whole into a steel cauldron type deal that would eventually serve as a far better meal than merely the assorted meats.

All too soon the smells coming from the cooking meal wafted through the air, and when time came to eat, not a one of them was left hungry.

After the meal and the cleanup, The shifts were described.

Two by two, and Heero would take double shift. 

Although exhausted, Duo felt like he would never be able to get to sleep, what with the twinges of pain radiating from his nether regions, and so voted to take the first watch along with Heero.

Trowa and Quatre curled up near one another just inside the circle of flickering firelight, sharing in their mutual warmth as the night began to grow chill. Wufei simply put his back closer to the fire, and fell into the light sleep he tended to adopt. [2]

Crossing his arms before him, and easing down to sit gently on his bedroll, Duo faced away from the fire with a pensive look, allowing the small warmth from so far away to get as much use as possible. His violet eyes wandered across the darkened landscape, noting the small bit of light that came from the stars and full moon.

They had four weeks until the winter solstice. Four weeks for him to be 'normal'. It seemed all too short when put into words like that.

Feeling the presence of eyes upon him, he glanced around, and found the only other person still awake watching him like a hawk.

Standing, Heero walked the few short steps to Duo, and sat himself next to the braided youth. Nothing was said for a time.

Then, surprisingly enough, Heero was the one to start the ensuing conversation.

"...How are you?" He asked softly, eyes yet scanning the surrounding darkness.

"Fine..." Duo murmured in reply. Heero glanced at him once, cobalt eyes dark as the depths of the sea.

"Tell me the truth..."

Duo heaved a slight sigh.

"ok..." He hesitated a moment more before talking again. "...I feel like this huge hopeless weight is dragging me down." He started, eyes falling to the hands clasped tightly in his lap. "Here I am wondering what I will be after I join with Shinigami, and it's damn depressing..." He glanced up with a bit of a chuckle.

"To tell you the truth...I've really felt like something was watching me the entire day. Something that doesn't seem too pleased..." The cheer went out of his face.

"I feel something coming...like that storm. Whatever it is, it won't be pleasant."

"hn..." Was Heero's enigmatic answer.

"My, what the master conversationalist you are." Duo joked, even then trying to lighten the situation. Heero glanced at him with, oddly enough, a sort of half smirk on his face that would have been hard to catch at any other time.

-----------------------------------

Eh, not short, not long, but things should pick up from here.

1. a candlemark is literally a mark on a long candle stick that when melted through represents the passage of about and hour's worth of time.

2. Poor Wuffers....so alone.

Review, Review!!


	20. Chapter 20

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse.   Fear my god power

Chapter 20

The next day dawned early and crisp from the chilly night before, and the five went about getting ready to move out.   A short, light breakfast and a splash of cold water on the face was their morning before they tacked the steeds, and mounted up.

Duo was so stiff that it took a good bit of moving around to get him limber enough to be at all comfortable.   Before long, the pain returned, but then numbed to a barely noticeable ache he could live with.

Another long ride through the day with a short rest stop at midday, they again bedded down at night.  The next day another long ride, then exhausted sleep.

In this way, they passed through the lowlands in five days; all of them more or less acclimated to the duress of long riding by the time they reached the foot hills of the Northern Reaches.

On the evening of the sixth day, they entered a small village that marked the head of the trade road which they would be traveling for a ways.

Finding the presence of a respectable inn -The Red Falcon - they decided to stay there for the night and have a full rest and meal before heading up into the harsh mountains, buying the supplies they needed before leaving the shelter of the village.

Rather than leave their mounts to the care of the stable hands, they each led their respectable mount into the small, yet clean and warmly furnished stables just behind the main building.

 After taking care of that, they filed inside, seating themselves at a round table near the hearth fire.

The inn looked tidy as well, with the floors swept, and the tabletops clean.   There were not that many other people present, just a group of three men conversing quietly in the corner, and a woman and man located somewhat closer who seemed to be a couple.   A stair case led to the rooms on the second floor just next to the bar where both food and drink of the mind altering persuasion were served to visiting patrons not staying the night.

One of the women working the kitchen came out with five bowls of steaming soup, and a platter of fresh bread and cheese.   Having already talked with the owner, they were getting fast service.

Despite the fact that they had eaten well over the past several days, the welcome change in atmosphere did wonders for the five's mental health.   A sense of ease settled over them as they ate, far from silent as both Duo and Quatre were on the way to striking up a lively conversation about nothing in particular.

However, it didn't take long for them to feel ready to sleep.   A full night's rest would be wonderful, not to mention sleeping in a bed again.   Five days out, and before that a number of weeks since they had done such a thing, excusing the short time they'd spent in Phenris' hospitality.

Leaving the dishes on the table for the bar maid to clean up, the five trooped upstairs to the rooms they'd bought for the night.

Two rooms located one next to the other were their apartments for the night.   Medium sized, with two beds in each room, each large enough for two people, both rooms had a small fireplace against the outer wall already alight, and glassed windows that showed a dark, chilled outer world compared to their warmed compartments.

Safe to say, the rooms were quite satisfactory to their needs, and well maintained to boot.

As to whom would sleep where, there was only one among them who suddenly felt quite awkward about figuring the arrangements.

Wufei.

The attraction between his companions was obvious, and they would split between the two rooms almost automatically.   But where did that leave him?   Would he rather spend the night in a room with two people who were openly affectionate (or as much as that elf would allow), or with two people who seemed to enjoy pretending there was nothing there, creating a somewhat tense situation that grew more heated by the second?   Somehow, he had a feeling that things might take a bit of a turn for those two, and he had no mind to be around when it happened.

So, choosing the logically safer of the two, he bid goodnight to Heero and Duo, and went into the room where Trowa and Quatre were already stripping to their undergarments and jumping into the same bed to share a warm night with each other.

Life sometimes sucked, the warrior thought to himself as he slowly took off weaponry, shirt and boots, opting to leave his pants on and merely sleep with the cool sheets against the tanned skin of his honed chest.

...

In the adjacent room, the two so earlier mentioned were carefully avoiding each other as they got ready for bed, and blessed sleep.

Pulling his shirt over his head, Heero proceeded to fold it, and lay out his weaponry in proper order should something arise where he would need to act quickly.   The black diamond sword lay in its sheath on the table, next to his clothing, the pull latch already loosed.

While he was doing this, Duo was pulling down the coverlet on his bed, when the flash of perfect bronzed skin caught his eye, and Heero's solid, muscled frame ensnared and held his gaze.   

By the gods, that guy was built.   

Cobalt blue eyes deep as the sea, and that rich, chocolaty hair that didn't seem to obey anyone, least of all its owner.   Washboard abs that he caught a glimpse of as the soldier worked, somewhat broad shoulders that came down into a narrow waist and hips, fully accented by the tight breeches he wore.   An ass like Adonis topped it off, and Duo finally had to physically shake himself to draw his eyes from the arousing sight.   

Then he mentally cursed himself for letting it go so far.   Who was he, to be staring so?   But oh...it was such a pleasing thing to see.

Turning, he again shook his head, and reached back to pull the thick rope of braid about before him so he could unravel it.   Fingers running through the honeyed chestnut hair, he was again mentally thanking Phenris, because she had given him use of the brush.   He now removed it from the pack leaning against the wall, and proceeded to brush the silken mass with first short, then long, even strokes, sitting cross-legged in the middle of his bed.

This is when Heero turned to face that side of the room.

His breath caught in his throat at the angel that sat upon the bed.   

Thick, chestnut hair flecked with the occasional glittering red strand curled gently down his back, part of it being run through the soft bristles of a brush held in a pale skinned hand that looked slender yet full of an underlying strength, as did the rest of his body, clothed though it was.   The fire light played off his face, partially turned away from the silent soldier.  Lush lips begging to be kissed, and a small, heart shaped face framed with a brace of chestnut bangs as soft as the rest of it.   And the most stunning feature, Duo's crystalline amethyst-violet eyes that could at once look light and happy, and then suddenly dark and deep with such a wild, fae appearance to them that had one's heart on edge for fear he would suddenly sprout faerie wings and be gone.   

The only ugly thing…the collar that held him, manmade, coarse, and full of an overpowering sadness that transfixed the angel to its earthly prison.   It glittered as well.

Perhaps what drew him so was Duo's enduring good cheer.   The young man seemed so overwhelmed at times, but he would still be the first to crack a smile, to attempt a joke whether appropriate or not.   It was impossible that another existed in this world with such a way of looking at things.   His unique sense of self prevailed, devastating as the knowledge that he was _not_ himself could be.

Heero's heart suddenly constricted within his chest as Duo turned to look at him, again using that sixth sense he had.   

Those eyes.   

He could so easily loose himself in those ever deep pools of amethyst.   Something of his thoughts must have gotten to his normally immobile features, for Duo blinked, breaking the spell, and took a startled breath.

"Why…why are you always…looking at me......?"   Duo asked quietly, hesitantly, bringing his knees up so he could lean against them, the tumble of hair resting on the bed about him.

Heero didn't say anything immediately, and Duo was painfully aware of how the flickering firelight played with his strong features, and over the smooth, bare skin of his chest like a lover's caress.

It was now.   It had to be now.   Time was running out.   

These thoughts spiraled through Heero's head, having a short inner battle with his soldier side.   If he were to admit this even to himself, then he was bound for nothing more than grief in the future.   Three weeks more.   It was all the time they had.   Was he to spend it mute, merely watching as this person passed forever from him, or could he sate the passion that had so unexpectedly flared within him, and take this angel into his arms for a love that might make up for a lifetime of sorrow and loneliness.

Taking the few, slow steps forward to the bed, Heero looked down on the unbound youth, the slight scent of flowers reaching his senses.   A surge of wanting leapt within him, and it was only the perplexed look upon Duo's face that kept him from acting.   He fell back onto the years of training, and it bolstered his resolve.

"I…"He began, seating himself on the edge of Duo's bed.

"I look at you…because you are exquisite."  

Duo blinked.   

_What_?   

At Duo's confused silence, Heero somehow felt his stomach plummet to his feet, a feeling that he'd never experienced before.   

"I'm sorry… I must have been imagining things…but I thought you just called me exquisite…."   The long haired youth murmured, almost not wanting to understand.   This couldn't be happening, because there was no way.   He was hallucinating that this man, this soldier would be saying something like this to him.   Only in his wildest dreams and darkest fantasies combined.

And they all seemed to come true as Heero nodded.

"I did…"  The messy haired soldier replied.

"You…did…"  Duo repeated, half trying to convince himself, half trying to keep the sudden surge of wild uninhibited hope that flared within him from manifesting in some way.

"…why?"   He whispered.

"…because…"

A sudden eruption of screams broke through Heero's words, cutting them off as the both of them shot their gaze towards the door.

It was coming from down stairs, and it was getting louder.

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Don't kill the writer!  *dodges whatever may be thrown*

la lala lala.  

Time between new chapters will probably stay about the same as it has for the past two.   I'm loosing availability to write, unfortunately, as parents, school and everything else keeps taking what little spare time I have.

Review, Review!!


	21. Chapter 21

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5xM (Hey look...he's got someone now ^_^)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 21

Duo and Heero were not the only ones alerted by the sudden noise emanating from downstairs, a mixture of screams, and lower, more animalistic howls. Wufei rushed from the second room, shirtless, even as Heero opened the door to his own, black blade in hand. Exchanging a glance, the two moved at once without words, Wufei not surprisingly holding his twin blades already. With a backwards glance to Duo that said volumes of _Stay there, _they proceeded to move down the stairs, ignoring the fact that both wore only their pants.

Even as they did so, Quatre and Trowa came out of their room, the necessity of clothes having taken a moment more of their time.

"What _is_ that?" Quatre asked as another long, guttural growl drifted up the stairs, the screams having died, and replaced with yells of surprise and pain.

"I don't know, but Heero and Wufei went down already." Duo said pointedly, as if he wished them to hurry down as well. 

With a sharp nod, Trowa drew his long dagger as his alternate weapon to the bow and arrow, and made down the stairs with elven grace, albeit hurried.

Glancing at each other, both Duo and Quatre came to an unspoken agreement, and paced down the stairs after the tall elf.

Heero was gonna kill him, Duo thought for only a moment, then all other thoughts were washed away at the scene that revealed itself to them as they reached the bottom of the stairs and got an open view of the main room.

Blood was everywhere, a noticeably thick and red viscous liquid that made everything slick with gore. Two of the three men whom they'd seen earlier were unmoving on the ground, whether dead or unconscious, it was hard to tell, though one of them was now missing his internal organs, the steaming mass of entrails clawed out by what was attacking.

Quatre didn't know the creatures that attacked, but Duo did. His bits of memory afforded him this knowledge, now the only good point he'd found to it so far.

Gnolls. Standing seven feet tell, the creatures looked like a mix of hyena and man, covered in a coarse gray-brown fur, with knees that turned backwards, and clawed paws for feet. They grasped cudgels and crude knives in furry misshapen hands, and barred inch long fangs in a short, powerful muzzle centered between vicious yellow eyes. Even though awkward in shape and appearance, they were surprisingly agile, and fleet, with the combined mentality of man and beast. They also wore makeshift clothes and small bit of armor that afforded some small protection, though most of what they would need came from their tough hides.

Five of these hulking Gnolls were inside the inn, and trying hard to kill anything and everything within reach. Fortunately for those still alive, Heero and Wufei had turned the tide of what Duo assumed to be an unexpected attack, slicing into their opponents with the ease of experience. 

The man and woman from earlier were cornered by two of the Gnolls, both, surprisingly enough, brandishing curved sabers with a good deal of skill. Stepping forward, the man sliced through the arm coming in for an attack, the Gnoll howling in pain and anger. Its other viciously clawed arm came up in response, knocking the man aside with a powerful slicing blow he could not counter in time. 

With a cry of anger, the woman now faced the two, determination on her slim features as she moved forward, ripping her saber across the first Gnoll's chest, exposing bone and no small amount of blood as she pulled back, then sent the saber home into the mortally wounded Gnoll's belly, viscera flying as she pulled the weapon free with a jerk.

It collapsed at her feet, jerking convulsions wracking its body, but she was already moving to the next one, sparing a worried glance at the unmoving man, who was bleeding very badly from the wound he'd received from that last hit.

Fierce as a mother tiger protecting its young, the woman faced the second Gnoll with fire in her eyes, blocking its first attack with an upwards parry. Herself about to attack , the tip of a sword suddenly blossomed from the center of its chest accompanied by a fountain of blood, making her pause as the Gnoll gave a gurgled keen, and slumped to the ground, its spine cut completely through with the single powerful sword thrust.

Wufei now met her gaze as the owner of that sword, slight surprise evident on his face as he took in the scene in a glance. A look over his shoulder proved that the other Gnolls were being taken care of, so the woman abruptly turned, her attention now only on the man that lay wounded on the ground.

Heero and Trowa each held a Gnoll, but Heero was limited to the use of his sword, as he really had no mind to burn the place to the ground. His sword, however, was as deadly as any single attack Wufei made, hacking and chopping with a grace beyond the common soldier, yet still far below the magic the dark warrior could weave with those twin blades. The Gnoll before him was down and out in a few strokes, and he turned in time to see the last tall beast going after two figures on the stairwell, which he realized with a clenching fear were their last two companions.

With a feral cry, the beast took a running leap, slammed to a stop by Quatre's quickly summoned magic shield. This, however, didn't last long, as with a cry of pain, the little mage fell to his knees, the spell dissolving around him as the collar's drag on his mind increased to beyond his control. 

Duo frantically reached for his grasp upon the blonde's magic, and was abruptly caught up in the bristled arms of the advancing Gnoll, none to gently one might add.

With a shout, Duo's concentration broke, and Quatre clasped small hands to his head with a gasp as the full drain on his magic was suddenly restored.

The braided youth kicked and writhed frantically, scoring a lucky hit on the beast's muzzle, which abruptly dropped him to the hard ground, knocking the wind from him.

The Gnoll bent down to scoop him up with a growl and fierce grimace, but was halted by the sword that sliced across its unprotected back. It turned to face an almost burning soldier, eyes flaming with cool anger, and found itself impaled on a black diamond sword to the hilt. The crystalline ebony tip exploded out the back, such was the force used by the cobalt eyed soldier.

Especially determined though, the Gnoll grabbed the hilt of the sword impaling it, thereby trapping and hindering Heero's ability to move back. With a last burst of energy, the mortally wounded beast slashed out with clawed hands, ripping across Heero's bare chest and leaving several deep lines of red that began bleeding profusely. Not even giving shout to his pain, Heero viciously twisted the sword out of the creature's hold, ripping a large hole in the beast and opening a fountain of ichor which poured onto the floor as the Gnoll fell to the ground with a thud.

Duo finally found his breath, and caught sight of poor Quatre, prone on the floor. Gritting his teeth, he again took hold of the mage's magic, slowing then stopping the extreme drain, glad to feel that it had not started to take his life force again. As the flow stopped, Quatre raised his head from the floor, a weak smile in his lips.

"...T..Thanks" He whispered, and Duo moved over to help him up.

"No problem..."

Despite the fact that those Gnolls within the inn were now dead, as Trowa had successfully finished his off, the sounds of fighting now came from outside, and the three able warriors hurried to help.

It was a rather large group of Gnolls which had ended up attacking the village, but the villagers were successful in beating them off. Wufei Heero and Trowa were in the fray for some time, each scoring his share of the beasts, which were not so dangerous compared to some of the things Wufei and Heero had encountered before. Several ran off into the still early night, many wounded. Even more lay dead in the village streets.

The toll of human life was high, at ten men and two women killed, but they were taken by surprise. If not for the company's being there, many more would have died.

Consternate talking reached Heero's ears as he helped clean up the Gnoll corpses.

"...haven't seen a pack like this in years..."

"...never attacked the village before..."

"...something provoked them..."

It was then he realized, if they'd not come, then the Gnolls would not have attacked. He remembered how that single creature had seized Duo, instead of attacking him. This had to be Sarkan's doing. He must be wanting Duo back as the only real opposition to his plans, and he'd sent the Gnolls after them. Heero wouldn't be surprised if the Vlarg had been sent by that bastard too.

Damn it.

This was getting out of hand. Innocent people were being dragged into this, and that was something they couldn't allow. They would leave at first light tomorrow after buying the supplies they needed.

...

Inside the inn, Duo had Quatre propped up against the side of the bar, sipping a cup of mulled wine, and he moved over to help those still living when the little mage assured him he was ok.

The woman who'd taken out almost two of the beasts was cradling the injured man to her. He was deathly pale, and it was evident how much blood he'd lost. His wounds had already been bandaged, but it was doubtful if the guy would live through the night. Plus there was no telling what kinds of disease were carried by the Gnolls. He could already be infected past care.

Kneeling next to the two of them, Duo felt for a pulse. The woman eyed him as he did this.

"He's lost a lot of blood..." He said needlessly. 

"He's going to make it..." She said with a determined voice, convulsively clutching him tighter.

"Look...miss..." He paused.

"Meiran. Meiran Nataku." She supplied. "My brother...my brother is Kiran" She added softly with a glance down to the man she held. Duo could see the tears she held back as she said this. 

"He's going to make it..." She whispered again, with less conviction. A slight frown coming to his face, Duo took the situation into his own hands.

"Here...help me get him to a bed. He can't lay here like this." He moved to take hold of Kiran, pausing as he noticed the woman didn't move. 

"Meiran...Meiran!" He said, grabbing her attention. With a sharp nod, she snapped back to her senses, and moved to help Duo hoist her brother slowly up.

The both of them, moving as gently as possible, shifted Kiran to one of the down stairs rooms, placing him softly on one of the beds within, heedless of the blood seeping from his bandages.

They moved without words, fetching bandages and water to cleanse his wounds. There was still hope, small as it might be, that he would survive, but as Duo worked, the hideous gash that ran from shoulder to hip looked less and less survivable, especially so late in the game. Perhaps if he had gotten attention sooner, but the 'what if's' were useless at this point, merely something for the mind to dwell and fester on.

Finishing shortly, Duo left Meiran at the bedside of her brother to go and see the others. He fervently hoped that none of them had been hurt in the fray.

He found Quatre were he had left him, now with the welcome but silent figure of Trowa giving him a check over. The elf glanced up as Duo approached, and the braided youth saw a hurtful flash of blame in that emerald eye that was gone as fast as it had come.

"Where are the others?" He asked, masking his feelings with indifference. 

"They are working with the carcasses." Trowa answered quietly, nodding his head to the door leading outside.

Turning, Duo felt his stomach rise to his throat as the desiccated bodies of the two unfortunate men met his gaze, the heavy metallic stench of blood thick on the air. Quickly passing the two, for they would be properly consecrated and buried or burned later, he walked outside, fervently glad for the fresh, chill air that met him. 

Taking a deep breath, his violet eyes were drawn to the bonfire that suddenly appeared in the large village square. 

The flames were tinged with gold and crimson, and a look about revealed the figure of Heero not to far distant from the blaze, his concentration on the pile of burning Gnoll bodies. Someone had given him a shirt at some point in time.

Wufei stood close to him, also now fully clothed, flipping the blood off of his blades, and giving each a thorough wipe down with a piece of cloth. Their sheaths had been left inside in the hurry, so Wufei held both his blades after he was done, and spared a moment to quickly clean Heero's diamond blade as well.

The good thing about the fire, because it was enchanted to begin with, the smell of burning flesh did not rest upon the air, but was burned cleanly away, as was everything else tossed into the blaze in a short time. Even bones burned to black ash that drifted on the slight breeze.

After the fire died to nothing, a process that took about half a candlemark, Heero finally turned his back on the pile of ash, taking hold of the ebony blade Wufei offered him. Glancing around, his cobalt gaze landed on the figure of Duo some distance away, the youth sitting with his back to a cold building, legs drawn up before him and arms wrapped about them.

A heat rose within him, not of passion, but of anger this time. Duo had gone expressly against his order. If he had to be honest, he had not truly said anything, but Duo knew, he knew how important he was to this mission. To the fate of the world. To Heero.

Stride purposeful, Heero walked over to the braided youth, Duo pushing against the wall to regain his feet and face what seemed to be a very angry Heero - though it was bloody hard to tell _any _emotion when concerning this guy - face to face. He felt worry worm itself into his heart at a clear sight of the way the shirt clung wetly to the cobalt eyed soldier's chest, looking virulently dark.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Were the first words out of Heero's mouth, cold and aloof, and it washed all Duo's previous worry away.

"Why yes, I am ok. Thank you for asking." Was his sharply sarcastic retort. "Nice to see someone cares."

It almost got through Heero's calm outer shell.

"You were almost killed because you did not stay out of harm's way." Despite the fact that Heero knew now that the Gnoll would not have killed the youth, he had to drive the point home. Duo could very well not be so lucky next time.

"You honestly think I'm going to stay where I can't see what's happening?" The braided youth demanded. "What if you guys had needed help?"

"Which we didn't. And exactly _what_ kind of help would _you_ have been able to provide?" The soldier asked sharply.

Duo was about to answer again when he abruptly closed his mouth as Heero's words sunk in. What the hell _could_ he have done? He couldn't fight, not with any human weapon anyway, and he had no magic currently at his disposal. He was freaking useless.

That hurt more than anything.

Seeing that his words had a somewhat eschewed effect than that which was intended, Heero decided to keep going.

"You could have been hurt, is all I'm saying. Gnolls are not beasts to be trifled with."

"But-"

"No buts." Heero interrupted. "I will not put you, and thereby our mission in jeopardy."

Duo's head shot up at that. So that _was _it. Heero didn't care about him. All he cared about was the mission. 

Saving the world was a noble ambition; what was one solitary boy lost for the sake of everyone else?

Feeling like he'd been sucker punched, Duo numbly shook his head.

"And here I thought there might be _someone_ who could understand, but you're just like the rest. To you I'm only a tool; a means to an end." He was ashamed to feel his eyes sting with tears. "It seems that's all I've ever been...and all I'll ever be..."

Duo turned his back on Heero; he did not want this _soldier_ to see him cry. He wasn't too surprised when he felt a hand on his shoulder, turning him around, or even when Heero's other hand came up, cupping his chin.

No. The surprise came when that cobalt eyed beauty leaned forward, and planted a short, chaste kiss upon his lips.

Pulling back, Heero's eyes held something...something warmer than they'd ever held before.

"No...Duo. You are not a means to an end." He said quietly while Duo stared up at him in shocked amazement.

"You are yourself, a cheeky, charming person who somehow or another still manages to go on being cheeky and charming when you have so much pressuring you. Anyone else wouldn't be able to bear the load you do. I admire your courage...and your fortitude."

The surprisingly long string of words slowly unwound about Duo's lax mind, and he knew, and understood.

"Then...you're not mad anymore?" He asked.

Heero actually cracked a smirk on that marble solid face.

"No, I'm still mad. I just get to hold you now..."

Duo smiled, a true, honest smile, and this time, it was aimed at Heero, and not his beloved Illian.

-----------------------------------

Lookit! This chapter is _longer_!

They are so kawaii when they try and muddle through such confusing feelings ^_^

Ah…Christmas break. Which means much time for writing and the such. (Which I might add is the only reason this chapter is both longer, and earlier than I expected.)

Hope you enjoy!

Review, Review!!


	22. Chapter 22

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5xM (Hey look...he's got someone now ^_^)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 22

After the Gnoll attack was done and over, the consequences of it were still far reaching, as it soon became evident. The five companions were back at the inn after gathering together to assess damages, too restless to sleep just yet. Each one's mind was on something different, but none were willing to share, which might have said a lot, or not considering the closed mouth-ness of most of them.

Heero's chest had been bandaged, by Duo himself after the happiness faded slightly so he could think. He had by then tied his loose, and extremely ungainly hair back with a piece of leather he found, keeping the silken mass out of his way for the task. The claw marks were deep, but not altogether too damaging. Muscles had not been severed, and nerves were still functioning. He would merely have a wicked set of scars; four wide lines running from left collarbone to lower on his right side. 

No one else had been injured, luckily, except for Quatre's close brush earlier. The little mage was still recuperating, but it was not nearly as devastating a blow to him as the first time. All he needed now was bed rest.

Speaking of such, at the moment Quatre was beginning to doze leaning against Trowa's irresolute shoulder. The elf gently shook him, and motioned for him to go upstairs.

With a tired nod, the little mage excused himself, and began the climb up the stairwell, followed silently by Trowa.

Even as they reached the top and vanished from sight, a cry came from the room behind the closed door at the foot of the stairs.

Duo was the first up and moving towards the room, followed closely by Heero and Wufei. The braided youth mentally cursed himself for forgetting about Meiran and her brother.

Pausing at the entrance only a moment, Duo grasped the handle and opened the door, moving inside.

Within, he found the scene he'd feared the most. 

Meiran leaning over the still body of her brother, sobbing her heart out. Duo felt his own heart drop out from under him, and he stood there silently, unknowing as to what to do.

Finally deciding to go to her, a hand descended to his shoulder, and he turned to meet the cobalt eyes of Heero. 

The soldier gently shook his head.

"This is not your place..." He murmured. "Go upstairs...we'll take care of her."

Mouth open to protest, Duo then slowly closed it, and nodded in slight defeat. With a last wrenching glance at the sobbing girl, for as she was now, she seemed so much younger and vulnerable, Duo removed himself from the room, and slowly ascended the stairs to his shared room, at the moment empty.

Sparing a moment to watch him leave, Heero then bent to the task at hand. He had initially been somewhat confused, hard as it was to believe, but the pieces fell together gradually until he had a pretty good idea as to what had happened.

Sharing a glance with Wufei -the dark warrior seeming just as uncomfortable with the situation a he was, despite his assurance to Duo- he moved over to the bedside, and laid a hand on the sobbing young woman's shoulder to gently get her attention. She snapped upright as if slapped, and shot a glare at Heero. Turning her gaze, Wufei fell under that glare as well for a moment, hostility and unpredictable actions hard on their way.

"What do you want?" She said, raising a hand to harshly wipe away tears from red rimmed eyes.

She was a pretty little thing, with raven black hair pulled back and plaited in a double braid that ended just past her shoulder blades -the weave starting separately at her temples and meeting in the back- that in no way matched up to Duo's. Blazing dark eyes that were piercing in nature peered out from a brace of bangs that framed her small face, accompanied by a pert nose, and small but sumptuous lips.

Her dress was practical, a pair of baggy pantaloons that were well suited for travel, a vest, and long sleeved shirt. Her brother had worn similar raiment, different in only the fact that his pants were of a thicker, and closer fitting variety.

"We only wish to help you." Wufei spoke up first.

"No one can help me now..." She muttered, glancing back down at her brother's still form. 

"We are truly sorry for your loss." Heero said, a bit too unfeeling, for Meiran turned her fiery gaze on him. 

"Sorry are you? I'm sure. Just go and leave me be." She said tersely.

"But-"

"Go!" She interrupted Wufei's protest. With a highly insulted look, the dark haired warrior did just that, and left the room which had filled with such tension in so short a time.

"You follow your buddy there." She then added, looking back at Heero.

With as much of a shrug as Heero Yuy would ever give, he did as she bid, and walked from the room, closing the door behind him.

Wufei was practically livid as Heero moved from the foreboding room.

"The nerve of that woman, when we were merely trying to help!" The swords master said, on a bit of a tirade.

"It's better this way." Heero said, bringing Wufei's muttered curses to an end.

"What?" He said, coming to a stop before the soldier, and his fighting partner.

"It's better we don't get involved..." Heero said by way of explanation. "If what I believe to be the case is true, we don't want her to know anymore than she and every other person in this town knows." He paused for a moment before going on. 

"I believe Duo is the reason we were attacked, the reason this village was attacked. Sarkan is sending these beasts after us, because he wants Duo back."

The news did indeed come as a bit of a shock to the swords master.

"But if that's true, then there's a chance that more are coming. Or he could very well be sending something much worse than a couple of Gnolls." Wufei said quietly, understanding washing away his previous anger.

"I know. As soon as daylight breaks, we're going to move out, buy the supplies we need, and be gone from here before something else happens." Heero answered.

With a nod of understanding, Wufei glanced up the stairs.

"Does he know?" He asked quietly.

"...No..." The cobalt eyed soldier replied just as quietly, with an odd sort of emptiness to his voice.

"Are you going to tell him?" Wufei again asked.

"I'm hoping it won't come to that." 

...

It was a short time later that Heero opened the door to his room, an unusual air of exhaustion about the soldier. His darkened gaze peered about, shortly finding what he searched for in the figure of Duo asleep on one of the large beds.

He had probably fallen asleep while waiting up for Heero, because he was not under the thick covers specially used to stave off the cold that had begun to permeate the room. More like he was simply huddled upon the bed, hair again mostly down and spread haphazardly about him in a chestnut ocean.

Laying his black bladed sword where it had once before rested, Heero then moved over to the side of the bed, and began moving Duo about so he could pull down the bedclothes. He finally resorted to picking up the long haired youth, and slipping him between the cool sheets. About to pull back, the arm about his neck tightened, and he looked down into a pair of sleepy, amethyst eyes.

"Don't...don't leave me..." Duo murmured, half asleep.

With a small nod, and a quick melting of his heart, Heero straightened up enough to again pull the bedclothes down, then himself got into bed beside the sleepy youth. He immediately found a pair of arms wrapped tightly about him, and a body pressed painfully into his injured chest. 

He didn't protest, however, as the pain eventually lessened enough for him to ease into Duo's hold upon him.

Almost of their own violation, Heero's arms wound around the smaller boy pressed against him, and he tilted his head down slightly to lightly kiss the crown of Duo's head, which had been tucked under his chin.

All in all, it was to a peaceful sleep the soldier went. He had not expected it to come upon him so suddenly, and the next thing he knew, his internal clock was waking him to say that the sun had risen.

...

The group, less refreshed than initially planned, set out from the waking village only a handful of candlemarks after the sun had risen. They had gathered the directions to the houses of who sold what the night before, and made quick rounds to the few merchants. Being so, they woke early to catch all business, despite the happenings of the previous night.

Only a small amount of haggling was needed to get decent prices, though truth be told, they weren't exactly stressing over the money. Speed was their number one priority, though the three not privy to Heero and Wufei's knowledge did not understand the need for such haste.

Thick clothing, and an abundance of layers were bought, as well as blankets for the steeds, ice picks, rope and harnesses should the need to climb come to their attention, food that would last in the extreme cold, and extra flint and wad [1] for the starting of a nightly fire. A large quantity of grain was also purchased for the steeds, but the foraging would not be so bad for them until they reached the peaks of the mountains they planned to traverse.

There was a good chance that they would be going on foot for some time, through large snow banks and over ice that would not support the combined weight of mount and rider, so they also added a pair of snowshoes for each member to their inventory list.

Now loaded down with only the necessities, each of the five had donned their warmer clothing, and mounted up after paying the innkeeper.

A short moment's trot had them out of the small village, and heading down the wide trader's road that wound through the northern reaches. They would be on that road a mere four to five days, depending on how good a time they made seeing as they were trying to save both the mounts and themselves, then they would fork off the main path into the untamed wilderness that lined each side. That would be when time would begin to feel endless as their forward pace would slow from the good twenty to twenty-five miles they made each day, to a mere five to ten miles a day. That was when they needed to push forward for every bit of time they could.

It wasn't even midday before Heero suddenly called an unexpected halt. His gaze was fixed behind them. The others were about to question them when he beat them to it.

"We're being followed."

Then there were five pairs of eyes aimed behind them, and the following rider crested the hill half a mile back.

The rider didn't even pause, even though it was evident he had been seen, but instead rode confidently forward at a sedated pace until he gently reigned in his horse, a light tan mare with mahogany mane and tail.

Then it was with a muttered curse that Wufei recognized their follower. A she, not a he.

Pulling up just in front of the group, Meiran, cloaked and looking quite ready for travel, sat silently on her horse, solidly awaiting the first protest to her being there.

Wufei would have voiced that with all his annoyed fervor, when Heero yet again beat him to it.

"Why are you following us?" The cobalt eyed soldier asked in a cold voice.

"I want to slay the one who slew my brother." She said with a steady, no nonsense tone.

"Woman, you would do better to go back and not have the same thing happen to yourself." Wufei butted in.

"The Gnoll who slew your brother is dead. You killed it with your own hand." Heero said in as sensible a voice as he could manage.

"The Gnoll is dead, but its master is not." The young woman insisted, judging Wufei's comment too ludicrous to even deign with an answer.

Heero almost _felt _Duo stiffen from where he sat astride his Murasaki, just behind Heero's solid white Shiroi, and wished to all the hells that he could shut this woman up before she went too far.

"The Gnolls' master?" Quatre said, ever the naive one. He glanced over at Wufei and Heero. "Do you know what she speaks of?" He asked.

Meiran turned her gaze from the little mage, back to Heero.

"Yes, he knows." She gritted. "He spoke of it just last night; a man by the name of Sarkan. He is the one controlling these beasts, and I intend to see him dead."

Damn her, she had listened to their hushed talking! Resisting the urge to look back at Duo, Heero nearly grit his teeth in his attempt to keep from verbally lashing out at her.

Wufei, however, had no such problems, for he didn't even bother to contain his anger.

"Foolish woman! Do you think this is some sort of game we play?" He asked, kicking his Illian forward until it stood before hers. "This Sarkan you speak of is a sorcerer, far above anything you could throw at him. Your attempts to avenge your brother's death will only lead to your own, one, I might add, that would likely be more painful that merely dieing from old age." 

Angling her fiery dark gaze to the swords master, a tight, maniacal grin crossed her small mouth.

"I'd better not get myself killed then." Was her final reply.

...

The rest of the ride through the day was uneventful, if the verbal barbs Wufei and Meiran occasionally threw at each other could be called uneventful. They could not force her to go back, and they could not waste the time to take her back personally. So she was, at least for the time being, an addition to their small party. She had thought for herself though, because she was as well provisioned as the rest of them were, her saddlebags modestly packed with things necessary for cold travel. The sword sheath that held her thin, curved blade was for the moment belted to the side of her horse, free to pull at any time, as well as a second blade which they guessed had been her brother's.

Despite an obviously disgruntled Wufei, Heero was already counting her as an asset to their group; another who could wield a sword in battle with great skill, and was unafraid of skirmishes as had already been proven.

The night came quickly, what with the distraction the two of them gave the rest of the group. No one but Heero seemed to notice the way Duo withdrew into himself after Meiran's arrival though, not speaking to anyone pretty much the entire time.

The braided youth was silent as they pitched camp on the lee side of a steep cliff that marked the beginning of the mountains and end of the foothills. When a warm dinner was passed around, he was the last to finish, picking at his food enough to make it look like he'd eaten more than he had. 

He volunteered to take the first watch, and left the warm circle of firelight to sit with his back to them some distance away.

As the others bedded down, Duo felt a warm hand on his shoulder, and he leaned into the person who crouched behind him.

"Are you ok?" Came the silky hard voice of Heero.

"Eleven..." Duo whispered.

"Hn..?"

"Eleven more deaths. Twelve, counting Meiran's brother." He elaborated.

"How many more people will die because of me?" 

A shudder took his body, whether from the cold outside, or the odd hollow chill that originated from within, he didn't know. The only thing he knew was the pair of warm, solid arms that wrapped comfortingly about his shoulders, and the breath that licked his ear.

"You are not the cause..." Heero whispered. "If you must blame someone, blame he who really deserves such. Sarkan controls these beasts, Sarkan controlled Shinigami. It's all him and his perverse ideals that lead to such pain and death."

Duo nodded numbly, but deep inside, he didn't believe it.

Heero did not know what to do for him. Other than offering all the comfort he himself could give, this was not his area of expertise. He had to keep Duo sane, not to mention stable. If the braided youth kept blaming himself like this, it was possible he wouldn't make it back to Shinigami. 

It was all too possible he wouldn't make it at all.

That scared the cobalt eyed soldier more than he ever thought anything would.

-----------------------------------

1. Wad is exactly what it sounds like, a small wad of material that's very flammable, made from dried mosses, or cloth of a sort. Used to catch and burn the sparks from a flint stone struck against steel.

*collapses* Freakin hell! This fanfic is turning into a whole novel! 

I have so much more to write, and I'm wondering if I'll loose the attention of my readers by expanding the story so much.

Please, please tell me if I am making this too long. I'll say this now, I'm over half way done with this fic, but that over half is about two thirds half way.

Which means there's a good ten to fifteen chapters still coming! (that's a rough estimate by the way) Plus I hope to keep them about this length if I can, which means if I didn't, it would be half again as many chapters to come. Maybe I'll even lengthen them more, just to get more out at one time, but I really, really need to know if you, my readers, are getting bored.

Don't hesitate to inform me, if you do get bored. I'm playing this by ear, so when I see something someone wants, I try and put it in.

Ok, that's my piece for now. 

Tell me if it's too long, too short, or just right!

-Hseru

Review, Review!!


	23. Chapter 23

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5xM (Hey look...he's got someone now ^_^)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 23

Each day on the Trader's road meant, with more certainty, that Meiran would not be leaving any time soon. It also was very evident that Wufei would be going insane any time now. The two of them got into a scrape over some little thing or another at every opportunity possible.

From cleaning the dishes they used at night, tacking out the steeds, to the proper use of a sword, and anything else they could think of, they disagreed.

Each morning, Wufei ran through one of his katas both with and without his swords. It was like his wakeup call, and took only a short amount of time. The first time Meiran watched him, she claimed he was doing it all wrong. Then Wufei burst forth with a lecture on the injustice of how an un-knowledged woman who used only a single blade could say anything about the technique of a master of the Ni Batou Ryu; safe to say, the both of them were shouting before it was over.

Quatre and Duo were normally the ones to break the two of them up, but Meiran was often seen shooting a glare at the braided youth every time he came near her, so this didn't always work. She blamed him, as much as she blamed Sarkan, for the death of her brother. Though she did not come right out and say it, the heated anger was there every time anything concerning Duo came up.

With this in mind, they did not see the need to inform her of the entire situation, so she was left with the half lie that the sorcerer had stolen something precious, and that they intended to get it back by any means necessary.

It was about this time that Duo decided to do something about being so damn helpless.

Magic was something he could normally have done, but with it all blocked away in his true form, he was left with the option of using a weapon of some sort. 

He approached Heero with his idea.

"I want to learn how to use a weapon." Duo said suddenly some time after midday, heeling Murasaki up next to Shiroi.

Heero blinked, and glanced over at him.

"I hate being so damn helpless, and having to watch while _you_ guys fight to protect _me_." He said in emphasis. "Could you not teach me to handle _something_ so that I can be of some use to you?"

The stoic soldier didn't answer him for a moment.

"....hn. I could teach you the use of my throwing knives, and perhaps a sword, but we have no spare blade for you." Heero said in all practicality,

"She does..." Duo answered quietly, nodding his head back towards Meiran's horse.

...

That evening, the eve of the fourth day of traveling on the trader's road -with some light still in the sky- found Heero teaching a somewhat fumbling Duo how to hold his throwing knives. 

Only an inch or so longer than the full length of his hand, fingers and all, there was a certain place the knives needed to be grasped. The breadth of the blade was twice that of the hilt, and the keel of the cross guard was what allowed the blade to embed itself the right way, instead of simply thunking hilt first into whatever was aimed for.

Despite their design, they still needed to be released right to allow the blades to spin, and that included holding the blade two to three inches from the razor sharp point. After Duo finally had the hold right, Heero pointed out a tree, and demonstrated first.

Pulling the small knife back, he snapped his wrist forward, releasing the knife to sink several inches into the thick bark of the tree. Moving to fetch the blade, he then came back, and instructed Duo to do the same thing.

The knife left the braided youth's hand, and flew forward, a good two feet from where he'd initially aimed. Fetching the knife, Duo again threw it, and got marginally closer to the tree trunk.

"When you release, you twitch your arm to the side." Heero said when he'd returned from hunting up the small blade. "Try and keep your arm straight, and move mostly your wrist. The spin comes from the snap of the wrist at the end, not your arm."

With a nod, Duo tried again, and managed to actually hit the tree he aimed for, though the knife simply slammed up sideways against the trunk, instead of blade first.

Leaving Duo to practice, the occasional loud sound of the blade hitting against solid wood echoing through the camp, Heero went to work on the second part of the braided youth's request.

Some how, he had to get past Meiran's blame of Duo to make her see sense, and allow Duo the use of her brother's sword. If anything, Duo having some knowledge of the weapon would alleviate some of Heero's worry for him. It meant he could protect himself if anything were to happen.

The others were sitting around the small blaze, dinner done some time ago. A small smile crossed Quatre's face as a faint sound of joy told them Duo had landed a blade home in the tree.

Kneeling next to the silent form of Meiran, Heero got her attention with his simple presence.

"I need to talk to you about something..." He said quietly, motioning for her to follow him. Obliging him, she pushed herself off the ground, and walked after the solitary figure, the three by the fire watching after for only a moment, then returning to their own business.

Stopping just out of hearing range of the others, Heero turned to face her. She crossed her arms before her, and waited for him to start.

"I need the use of your brother's sword." He said, so directly to the point that it actually took her aback for a moment.

"W..what?" She stammered.

"Duo needs a weapon. You are the only one among us whom has an extra." He exemplified; smooth tact was evidently not in his dictionary.

Her features darkened at the mention of Duo's name. "No... and a thousand times more, no, before you think to ask again." She said, vehemence filling her voice. 

"I was not asking." Heero said coldly, pulling all of his stern authority into his voice.

Her eyes narrowed at his words.

"You presume to order me about, like some common underling!?" She said, voice raising in pitch. "That _boy_ is partially responsible for what happened to my brother in the first place! Do you actually believe I would allow his sword to be so defiled as to be used by _him_?" She gestured wildly back in the general direction of where Duo was yet practicing with the throwing knives.

"He drew the both of us, not to mention the entire town, into what ever petty grudge is held by this sorcerer. His games got my brother killed!"

With those words, Heero finally lost that wealth of self control he held in such high regard.

"Damn you..." He snarled, closing the distance between them until his face was mere inches from hers.

"You know nothing, _NOTHING_ of what you speak. That _boy_ has been through, and lost more than you will ever know." Heero's voice was low, and full of a menace that transgressed mere anger. "He deserves better than the contempt you give him daily, and the only game played is the one Sarkan plays with him; He will end up toying with Duo until there is nothing left but the shell of a person who once cherished life." One of Heero's hands tightened convulsively into a fist at the thought of it. "We are the only things standing between him and that fate, and I intend to succeed in this, no matter the consequences."

Meiran was silent for a moment, however, she was not one to back down in the face of a single man's cold rage.

"I will not allow my brother's memory to be profaned by his hands, or anyone else's for that matter!" She said fiercely.

"No, but you will allow me the use of his sword." Heero went on. "If our company is strengthened by it, then I will take whatever actions are necessary to ensure that. If that entails taking _both_ of your swords, and dropping you in our wake, then so be it, but I will not allow you to be the endangering factor here." Heero's cold assurance hit a note even through Meiran's heated anger at the merest thought of another using her brother's sword. 

The five of them could indeed leave her behind easily. They had chosen the much nicer way of handling her stubborn decision, by letting her tag along. There was no real way that she could tell if they were capable of such harsh mannerisms, but if she were smart, and Meiran prided her wisdom in most cases above all else, then she would acquiesce to their demands in return for her vengeance.

Plus if what this man told her was true, then she had been vastly blaming an innocent beyond any deed he had committed. It rankled to know she might be wrong.

The silence between them grew until it could be stood no more, and Meiran was the first to break.

"He has not been taught the use of a blade..." She said, the last bit of protest she was going to put forth. It was obvious he didn't know how to handle one, for most whom did had a certain way they walked. It was a readiness in their step, an air of knowing.

"I am going to teach-"

"I want to teach him." Meiran cut in. Heero blinked, surprised beyond what he was used to. Then his eyes narrowed.

"Mere moments ago, you were against him even touching the sword, and now you are volunteering to teach him?" He asked, incredulity plane in his voice.

"I want to know....what lies in his heart." She said, eyeing him. "By teaching him, I can know for sure. Despite your words, or perhaps because of them, I am still hesitant to believe what you say. Still, if it is true, I do not wish to blame those who do not deserve it." It was her way of both proving to herself, and saving face in the matter. If Duo was the innocent, the victim, then it would be evident as any teaching progressed. Despite her real want to stand away from him, by becoming his teacher, the two would grow close enough for one to know the other, especially the teacher knowing the student. So it had been for her, and so it would be for anyone she taught.

Heero had some misgivings about the idea. 

Ok, to be blunt , he didn't like it at all. He had wanted to be the one to teach Duo, but he was one who knew best what needed to be done is what had to be done, especially if it worked for the greater good.

"Very well..." He finally said. "You will teach him, but I do not want callousness out of you, for him."

Meiran nodded crisply.

"Very well..." She said in reply. "Now...was there anything else you needed?" She asked, a bit snippy.

"No."

"Good." And with that, she turned from him, and returned to her place by the fire, not a word passing her lips to those already seated by the blaze.

Heero resisted the urge to sigh, and merely reached a hand up to run it uncharacteristically through his messy chocolate hair.

This would probably end up working against him, he could just feel it.

...

It was some time later, after the sun had fully set, that Heero returned to see how Duo was faring. It was difficult to see in the now darker night time light, but the tree he had used as a target looked to be pretty beat up. Nicks, dents, and a fair amount of slits covered the rough surface for about three feet up and down.

Duo nearly bounced when he saw Heero. He looked so..._happy_. It was amazing that so little a thing could bring him joy.

"Heero! I got it! Watch me!" And with that, he poised to throw the small knife again, for the umpteenth time. Heero did indeed watch, but his eyes were on Duo's actions, not his target. The braided youth seemed to have gotten a fair idea of how to hold and throw the knives. It was only his release and aim that needed work, as the flying knife hit up against the side of the tree, instead of embedding in the wood.

A scowl came to Duo's small face, and he fetched the knife from where it had fallen.

"I can do it...but it only happens off and on." He said, bringing his arm back to throw it again. With a flick of his wrist, the knife went flying, and thunked blade first deep into the wood. A bright smile crossed his face, and he turned to Heero.

"See? I'm kinda getting the hang of it." He said, grinning.

Heero nodded, and had to give a slight smile at Duo's antics.

"I got you a sword." He said after a minute. Duo turned to look at him from where he'd gone back to practicing, surprise all over his face.

"Really? How? I though Meiran hated me." He said.

"She's going to teach you." Heero came right out and said it.

Duo's face fell a bit.

"Oh…ok"

…

The next day dawned early. They would be going off the marked and beaten trail into the wilderness of the Northern Reaches now.

At the front, Heero conversed with Trowa. The elf would be their guide because of his natural ability to tell at all times where the sun and stars stood. He would be able to keep them on a straight North-North West heading.

Breaking from the trail only a short time after starting the day's ride, the pace slowed considerably as they had to pick their way through the slopes which had steadily grown more rough as the journey progressed.

The first night off the trail was a tired one for all, but Meiran kept to her word, and moved over to where Duo was caring for Murasaki.

"We are going to start your training tonight." She said brusquely. "After you are done, come to me." And with that she walked back to care for her own steed. Duo blinked, then sighed. This probably wasn't going to be very pleasant. 

It didn't take him long to finish though, and he met Meiran some distance from the others, the both of them excused from the regular night time activities for the sake of what they were aiming for.

Meiran held both of her swords, but as Duo approached, they were both leaned with respect against a nearby tree, and replaced by two thick branches that were of the appropriate length.

"Since we do not have the proper training foils, this will be the first blade in your hand." She said, handing him one of the surprisingly heavy branches.

The following rather long amount of time had her showing him several different blocks, high and low, to each side, sweeping blocks, hilt blocks, and combinations thereof, both single handed, and double handed. He had to do each one, and show her that he could do it to her satisfaction before they moved on. Before it was half over, Duo's arms were already aching, for she insisted he do the techniques with both hands, and as the lesson neared its end, his arms were about ready to fall off and die.

Duo voiced not a single complaint though, such was his determination, and Meiran ran him hard on purpose. She was mildly surprised at his endurance, and by the end of the first lesson, had to grudgingly admit that the youth was indeed serious of nature. He also had some knack for it, because he caught on quick, and moved fluidly enough for the actions to not be awkward.

"Alright...that's good for today..." She finally said, long after the sun had set below the horizon. With a grateful sigh, Duo nodded without words.

"We are going to do this every night after we stop for rest." She said, turning to pick up the two swords that had not even been touched yet. "I expect the same amount of effort from you that I saw tonight, every night."

"Yes Ma'am..." Duo said, and she turned sharply to see if he'd meant it in jest. Only partially it seemed, for he smiled at her, despite the weariness that was evident in his face, his eyes, the way he stood.

"Go get some sleep..." She admonished softly, and with a nod, Duo turned to do just that. Making it to the bed roll someone had thoughtfully put out, he collapsed onto it, asleep as soon as he was laid out.

Meiran was up for a time after that, unaware of the person who'd watched the entire lesson with what was growing into a reluctant admiration for the warrior maiden.

-----------------------------------

I'm glad to see that you all don't think this too long. To tell the truth, I'm as eager to get to the end as some of you are, merely because even I don't have a clear idea of what will happen. A general idea, yes, but one has to have something to work off of. 

When I write each chapter, I'm reading it for the first time, and it's like reading a good book that you can't put down, can't wait to finish, yet when it's over, you're sad it's over.

Kind of mixed up, I know, but I guess I get so excited because this is the first time I've been able to carry through with such an endeavor. Sure, it's my second attempt at a fanfic, but my first one didn't get finished (though I do hope to finish Amethyst Wing at some point or another)

I'm actually going to finish this story, and it's not just a handful of empty words.

Makes me proud ^_^

-Hseru

A quick after word, I have made one mistake in this fic, and I want to put it in words now and apologize from the depths of my heart. 

We all know, there's no way in all the nine hells that Heero would ever actually say the word 'cheeky' ((I heard that from more than one person, mind you)) I don't know how delusional I was when I wrote that, but I go back now, and even I wonder what was wrong with me at the time. Forgive the slipup, for I believe keeping mostly to the character's original personality is important to the storyline.

That's all for now ^_^

Ciao

Review, Review!!


	24. Chapter 24

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5xM (Hey look...he's got someone now ^_^)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 24 

The next three days went on like this. An early morning, a long, arduous ride with little actual forward movement, then they would begin the search for a decent camping spot when the sun began to set. After dinner each night, Duo would practice a bit with Heero's throwing knives, then he and Meiran would settle down to long swordsmanship sessions, wherein the braided youth began to get the basics down, engraining them into his mind and body until they would eventually become second nature, if given enough time. For now, though, it served to give Duo something to occupy his mind at night, and kept him from brooding too much, for which they were all thankful, Heero most notably of all.

Around the eve of the third night of training, Meiran'd handed her brother's sword to Duo, and the 'real' training had begun.

The blade was lighter than the branch he'd been using, and slightly curved, so the youth's already building endurance could further be pushed with longer sessions.

Each night found Duo exhausted and asleep as early as possible, but each morning found him ready, almost eager for the challenges of the day.

A change came over Meiran as well during this time. 

It seemed that teaching suited her, and once she'd made up her mind that Duo was indeed not to blame for her brother's death, the two grew closer, both as teacher and student, and as friends. She was still harsh at times, but it had eased somewhat. Insults to the others meant less, and became more like jokes between friends.

One major difference in the group's mind-set, was Wufei's attitude towards Meiran. Watching her teach Duo showed him that she did know what she was doing, and knew it quite well. She had courage, which could almost be called reckless at times, and a determination that had kept her with them in the first place. A sense of honor pervaded her every action, though it was a bit eschewed, and her sense of vengeful purpose kept her nerves clear in heated situations.

She, in turn, got up early to watch him perform his morning katas, occasionally voicing her own thoughts on his actions, but more often than not, simply watching his fluid motions. 

The swords master was enchanting to watch. His swords weaved through the air with an almost musical quality to them, singing their own song, a deadly duet that possessed grace beyond anything seen in this human world. 

…

It was around the fourth day that they hit the snows.

It started as the occasional flurry of small white flakes, but as they continued upwards, the snowfall grew heavier. A leaden gray sky loomed overhead, seeming so close they would merely have to reach up to touch it.

The soft snowfall was fresh, so the going was still easy for a time, until it began to stick. Then with each passing hour, the snow began to pile into drifts. The wind that picked up about that time didn't help either, only serving to blow the stinging powder into their faces and eyes. The ground grew slick with snow that melted, then refroze. Each breath plumed upwards, an expression of steam that was swept away as soon as it was exhaled.

Their forward progress slowed to almost nothing, for Heero at the front was required to break a path through the snow, now reaching the places where the snow was older, and packed firmer. It was difficult, for each passing moment threatened to leave him snow blinded. He used the ice picks to hack away at the thick, crystallized ice for what seemed like forever before he managed to break a path to the cover of a high rock fall that served as protection of a sort from the wind and ice.

The group dismounted, moving about to try and erect some sort of extra shelter. The trees had thinned considerably in the last few days, so wood would be more difficult to find than it had the previous nights. However, it was essential if they wanted anything warm.

Tethering the steeds in the protection of the stone, Heero and Quatre worked at starting a fire, while Duo, Wufei, Trowa, and Meiran searched for any wood, starting from the stone outcrop, and moving outwards in a sweep that was successful enough to allow them to come back with a moderate amount of wood.

By then, a small fire was breathed to life cupped within Heero's palms, Quatre working at feeding the tiny flame until it could sustain itself without their aid. Heero kept a boost on the flame though, as it was barely a drain. He normally didn't use his powers on such a frivolous thing, but right now it was more important for the fire to be lit, and stay that way.

It was a frigid night they spent, huddled next to the cold rock, the steeds even bedded down on their knees to try and preserve warmth. 

...

Morning came, and with it a brief respite from the wind and snowfall. Sitting up from their nearly frozen positions, snow and ice fell from the blankets that had covered them, the mounts already standing near, luffing warm breaths into the still air.

It took longer for them to get themselves together and ready to be off again than in normally did, understandably enough.

Mounting up, it didn't take long for them to thaw out though, the movement jogging their senses to wakefulness, and their bodies to warmth.

The snow had hardened over night, and now cracked before them with several blows of the pick ax. In this way, they cleaved a path through the thigh deep drifts, sometimes even reaching up to their waists.

Some time after midday, they crested the peak of a hill, and gazed down upon a wide expanse of frozen river. Keeping the mounts in tight reign, they slowly moved down the bank until they stopped at the near shoreline.

Heero, as the lead, slowly nudged Shiroi forward, listening for the tell tale cracking and skittering of ice about to give way. It seemed firm enough, though. He dismounted anyway, signaling for the others to do the same. There would be less risk of plunging through with less weight on the Illian's narrow iron shod hooves.

Though their movements were paced, they tried to cross the river with as much speed as they could safely handle. They managed to cross the thinnest part at the center without mishap, and Heero doubled back to make sure nothing happened to his rear guard, Wufei. Instead of bringing the Illian back to potential danger, he let Shiroi go ahead by himself, as the mount was well capable of handling it. 

The swords master and soldier passed the dangerous center strip of ice, and it was after they'd left it that a sharp crack resounded through the air, alerting the both of them to the suddenly precarious situation they found themselves in.

"Go!" Wufei yelled, slapping Usui on the rump to get the Illian away before the entire thing caved in, both him and Heero following as fast as they could on the slick ice.

It wasn't fast enough though, and the ice opened underneath them, dumping the both of them into the torpid, frozen water.

The sudden sound alerted the rest of the group to the trouble, and they looked back in time to see the two go under, struggle to the surface, then be dragged down again by cold water and sodden clothes. All of their winter layers would not help, but hinder now.

"Heero, Wufei!" Quatre yelled as they went under, rushing back with Duo and Trowa hot on his heels. The ice cracked further around where the two had disappeared beneath the surface, making it dangerous to be on the river at all, much less moving out to the weaker parts.

Meiran came up behind them, having spent a spare moment to grab one of the lengths of rope they'd brought along from her saddle pack.

"Here! Tie this about one of you before you go further out. The whole thing's likely to give way." She said. 

Duo was the first to grab hold of the rope, but Trowa took it from him, shaking his head. It made sense. Who could be lighter on their feet than an elf?

Tying the rope about his own middle, Trowa then wasted no time in moving further out on the river, the other three holding the end, and playing out the slack. He approached the gaping hole, and stopped suddenly as the ice beneath his feet shifted. That was the farthest out the ice would hold him, and he was yet several feet from the opening.

The elf didn't see any sign of the two for a moment, then he suddenly shot to his belly, slithering as far out as he could to reach in and grasp hold of one of the two's clothing. On his stomach like that spread his weight enough for the ice flow to hold both him, and the sudden addition of one soggy human popsicle he pulled upwards.

Wufei sputtered to the surface, gasping for breath even as he wildly looked around for Heero. It was amazing how much of a shock the cold water had been to his system, slowing his own movements until he could not even resurface for much needed air. How much more difficult would it be for Heero, who wore a heavier sword and bits of metal armor?

The shivering started in then, and Trowa dragged the swords master out only by shear strength of arms, for the ice continued to break beneath him as he pulled, and Wufei's body was numb with cold, inhibiting his ability to help much.

Dragging him back to the others, an almost frantic Duo received him, eyes yet scanning the hole where the two had originally gone under. Heero should have come up again by now. Gods, he should have come up by now, even if it was to simply thrash about a bit.

As soon as he deposited the swords master, Trowa went back out to search for their other comrade.

The ice was breaking up more, and he almost felt it give beneath his light feet even as he moved dangerously further out. The slight tug of the rope about his waist was a thoroughly comforting presence, despite the fact that it might be the only thing to keep him from a frosty death, as their leader was well on his way to facing. 

He saw nothing of Heero, stopping further back than he had before.

Emerald eyes searched hard for any sign; bubbles, movement in the water, anything showing where the soldier struggled to reach the surface. He saw no other movement than that of the broken ice bobbing upon the open bit of water, and heard no more than the same. It was as if their leader had disappeared.

Or was stuck under the thicker ice surrounding the break.

Trowa abruptly turned his gaze downriver, both listening and watching the ice for movement, or the dull thud of someone trying to break their way upwards.

It was something far to the side of where he'd been searching, and far different than anything he'd been looking for, that caught his attention though.

A loud crack, similar to the first they'd heard when the ice broke, rang through the air, and everyone's head turned to find the source.

The ice a good fifteen to twenty feet downriver of the large hole was glowing a deep yellow, and getting brighter. Light from beneath was pulsing up through, and even as Trowa rushed over with elvish speed, curls of steam began to rise from the surface, the cracking of ice exposed to sudden heat ringing through the air.

The light abruptly dulled then, as if its source had been suddenly cut, and Trowa threw caution to the winds. Going to his knees, and clasping his hands together, the elf raised, then brought his doubled fists down hard on the ice, once, twice, then through to the frigid water beneath.

Almost diving in himself, Trowa reached deep into the water, praying. 

His hand brushed cloth.

Taking hold of it, he heaved backwards, the partially melted ice cracking under his knees, pulling a frozen body from the water, and back onto the more solid ice.

Looking down at the freezing person he now held in his arms, Trowa saw that hypothermia had set in, and Heero wasn't breathing.

Wasting no time, he lifted Heero's dead weight with some difficulty, for the young man was no light lift at the best of times, and was at the moment heavy with water, and carried him only far enough to be out of immediate danger of the ice breaking again. He then laid him down to battle the danger of another kind.

Duo was there then, as well as the others, looking anxiously on as Trowa worked, and unknowing as to ow to help.

Heero was horribly pale, his lips blue, and eyes closed. His chocolate hair was plastered to his head, the normally unruly locks already beginning to stiffen as they froze. The few bits of exposed skin were cold to the touch, and it would not be long before his waterlogged clothes began freezing as well.

Turning him quickly onto his side with no small amount of roughness in his hurry, the elf delivered a hard blow to the center of Heero's back, seeking to rid his lungs of fluid. A cough burbled up from somewhere, and Trowa struck his back again, water pouring from his lungs.

After half a moment's wait, he again laid the still soldier flat, checking his breathing.

It was there, thready and short, but it was there, and Trowa actually did so ungraceful a thing as rolling back off his heels to land on his butt, relief washing over him.

"He's breathing...." The elf said, and a collective sigh of relief told of the fact that everyone had been holding their breaths, fearing the worst.

Of course, both Heero and Wufei weren't out of the danger zone yet. Wet clothes in freezing temperatures weren't good for the body, much less the spark of life which had so nearly been extinguished. They needed to be dry and warm, fast.

Trowa hoisted Heero up, as the strongest of those presently able, and Duo helped Wufei to walk as the group moved quickly off the frozen river to where the steeds waited.

Mounting up on his unnamed Illian, Trowa made sure the unresponsive Heero would not slide off, his friend's life depending on whether they could find decent shelter in time to bring him back from the edge of death.

Duo mounted behind Wufei on Usui, despite the swords master's annoyed assurance that he could ride on his own, instructing Murasaki to follow behind them. Keeping only half an ear on the grumbling warrior before him, Duo was most worried about the precious cargo Trowa would be carrying.

Quatre and Meiran were ready when they were, and the entire group moved out, the two rider less Illians following without the need of someone to guide them.

Their best bet would be to try and find a cave of some sort, to get the two completely out of the weather. Not only them, but now both Trowa and Duo were wet simply from the contact. They needed to dry off and change clothes as well.

Aquamarine eyes scanning the snow covered mountainside as they moved away from the deadly river, Quatre searched for the darker shadow that signaled an opening of any kind.

His eyes passed over a bare, solid rock face and moved on, then for some reason his glance was drawn back again. 

There, an opening he could have sworn had not been there before. Despite misgivings, they needed shelter, and Quatre called back to the short line of riders.

"A cave opening." He said, both pointing and gently giving a directional tug on his Arabian's reigns. The horse obediently moved to the side, probably the one among the steeds that suffered the most, as a warm weather mount used to the hotter southern temperatures.

Quatre dismounted as the others pulled up behind him, and approached the opening, slogging through the icy knee high snow. It was tall and narrow, though not so narrow that the steeds would be unable to pass through, and looked to go back quite a ways.

It was too dark to see inside, however, and if they wanted to use it, its safety needed to be assured first. So, Quatre took a breath, grabbed hold of his staff, and slipped inside into almost complete darkness.

A quiet word of awakening passed the mage's lips, and the crystal atop the staff blazed to life in response. The bright bluish white light bounced off of natural stone architecture, casting twisted shadows that jumped with each movement the little mage made.

The cave did not go back very far, despite first appearances. A solid thirty paces wide, and about twenty paces deep, then it just rounded off, like someone had taken their hand a scooped out the little grotto. The thought brought a certain Mother Earth to mind, and Quatre had a feeling that tended more towards a hint that Phenris was behind this, bless her immortal soul.

Leaning back outside, he gave the all's clear signal. It only took a few minutes to have the entire group inside. The mounts were tethered in the back, then they got to work on warming Wufei and Heero up.

While Duo and Quatre began the business of stripping both Heero and Wufei of their freezing wet clothes, with no blushing on anyone's part, Meiran and Trowa went back out into the snow to find wood for a fire.

Wufei's body was already warming, and he could do a lot of it on his own, so Quatre moved over to an open space to work with the beginnings of a fire.

Despite the hurry he was in, Duo moved with care while removing the sodden garments. All of his weapons went first, sword, throwing knives, and dagger. When Heero's under shirt came off, Duo spent a few moments chaffing his skin, bringing the blood back to his numbed body. He then moved lower, taking off Heero's well worn boots, and then peeling off his leggings, which stuck like a second skin. Duo then proceeded to chafe his legs, working from his feet up. It was a diligent job, and he consciously kept his eyes on his own hands to stop them from wandering.

After he finished, he took one of the bed rolls, and wrapped the still unconscious soldier tightly in it, easing his own tension a bit. 

By this time, Quatre had managed to catch some sparks, and was now feeding a small flame.

Meiran and Trowa came back then with as much wood as they could find, which truly did not amount to much, though it would serve. They piled the somewhat wet wood next to where Quatre worked, where upon the little mage slowly built the fragile flame until it was large enough to give the desired warmth.

Wufei sat next to it, a blanket wrapped about his bare shoulders. With Trowa's help, Duo scooted Heero over next to the fire. Then the both of them started work on themselves, each taking off their wet clothes and changing into a dry pair.

Heero did not wake up that night. The color did return to his skin though, and they were in high hopes that he would recover soon. Time was running out, and if he did not wake within the next two days, they'd have to push on anyway.

Needless to say, it was a bit of a painfully sleepless night for Duo, who sat the watch, though the others were tired enough to fall asleep, for the first time in a week doing so warm.

-----------------------------------

Ya know…I really didn't like the last two chapters for some reason. Freaking pointless plot that eats at the story like a giant manderian earth worm! 

*cough cough*

It gets better, I can assure you.

Woot!

You guys wanted 1x2 romantic lovey dovey stuff? Well here it comes in the next chapter ^_^

It is approximately 2:25 am, I'm watching adult swim, and eating animal crackers. 

Can it get any better?

...Oh, I found a horse one! *viciously bites off the poor defenseless cookie's head.* Mwahahahaha!!!

Fear my awesome cookie powers!!

*randomness ensues*

Review, Review!!


	25. Chapter 25

As a gift for both late Christmas, and the 200th review (because I'm not too artistically inclined at the moment to make two) I give you the second picture, in color. 

Go and see it, because I absolutely love the way it turned out. Not a scene, but just a random idea that popped into my head one day, which I then scribbled down and messed with.

hseru.deviantart.com

enjoy ^_^

PS. And maybe I did like chapter 24, but I really didn't like 23. Just to clarify.

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5xM (Hey look...he's got someone now ^_^)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 25

By the next morning, they as a group decided to stay in their temporary cave home for another full day and night, regardless if Heero woke or not. The warmth was doing them wondrous good, even just from a single night's sleep. A full day and night of rest would help them be ready for what lie ahead.

Even though his lessons with Meiran had improved his ability to defend himself, Duo was the one arbitrarily voted to stay in the cave and watch Heero as the other four went out to hunt and scrounge up more firewood. A bit put off, he nevertheless was glad for the time to simply watch by the yet unconscious soldier's side for any change.

It was good that they had gotten him warm so fast. Even out cold, he had a nasty cough that took him sometimes in fits that left him gasping. Each time one of these fits caught him, Duo tried to sooth as best he could, heating water and seeping some medicinal herbs they'd brought, trying to get even the aromatic vapors into the downed soldier. It did seem to help, because the coughing began to ease as Duo continued his ministrations.

The others filtered in and out, bringing firewood that needed to dry out by the already burning fire, and sometimes assorted nuts and berries that had escaped the winter snows.

Trowa was the first to bring back game, a small winter ptarmigan that would have to be plucked and gutted before use. The elf paused long enough to do this, then handed the small bird to Duo, who would have the job of cook for the day.

The braided youth took the bird and wrapped it in evergreen leaves, then tucked it into the coals. It would steam, and eventually bake the bird until it could be eaten.

Trowa was gone again even as Duo did this. The youth moved outside, scooping some of the fresh, crisp snow into a pot to melt over the fire, then carrying it all back inside. All of their stored water had been used, and they needed to melt the ice for some more. Eating snow might quench thirst, but it was horrible for the body, filling it with cold from the inside, and only quickening hypothermia and frostbite.

By the time they had enough for a good meal, Trowa'd brought in a snow hare, and Wufei another ptarmigan with the use of snares. Wood they now had aplenty, and it was in the process of drying, that which was already dry pushed back to make room for the wetter material.

Duo set up the second bird the way he had the first, but the hare he put in the pot to make a warm broth they would try and get down in Heero's stomach. It was almost as vital as getting him warm in the first place.

Several candlemarks before sunset saw them eating a warm, filling meal inside the dry cave. They managed to get some of the broth into Heero, but they didn't want to push it too much, lest his body reject it.

After cleaning up, Trowa was the one who voted to take the watch, and he would wake Wufei at the third hour. Meiran would then take the next watch on into morning.

This left Quatre and Duo with caring for Heero off and on, one of them always awake. Duo told Quatre to sleep first, the little mage putting up a token resistance before falling to Duo's resolute manner.

As the rest of the group settled in for sleep, and Trowa sat himself next to the far opening of the cave, Duo sat cross-legged next to the still form of the one person he'd opened up to a little.

Heero's breathing was deep, and restful, the medicinal herbs given to him having done their job well concerning his cough. Eyes yet closed, the soldier had not moved other than to occasionally toss restlessly in sleep, caught up in some dream or another.

Duo found his hand moving of its own accord, and the tips of his fingers brushed down the side of Heero's face, caressing the smooth skin there. 

He didn't know what he would do if Heero had died. 

The soldier had become his strong foundation, listening when he had problems, which was all too often, and offering comfort where it was desired. He didn't deserve death for all his help. Brought to sudden terms with the possibilities, Duo made a promise to himself and the person laying before him then and there.

"No matter...what happens to me...I will not let anything hurt you again..." He whispered. Yes, it was an irrational thing to promise, but he held some hope that when he merged again with Shinigami, some parts of him might survive. If that proved true, then...then there was hope yet. It was as much as he could offer.

Cobalt eyes stirred then, and lashes parted to reveal the blue depths which sought out one face above any other.

Duo felt a smile come to his face as Heero opened his eyes, and joy stirred in his heart. He abruptly moved his hand from where it had yet rested on the soldier's cheek.

"Hey there stranger...how ya feeling?" Duo asked quietly. Heero hesitated before answering, moving about a bit, obviously searching for broken or painful spots.

"...fine." He answered after a moment. Then he angled those eyes back to Duo.

"How did I get out?" He asked, unexpectedly.

Duo blinked. "You burned your way up, and Trowa broke through the ice to pull you out."

"I…burned my way up?" Heero didn't remember anything past going under, and being swept beneath the ice. He'd struggled to beat his own way through the solid mass, but had been unsuccessful, and had blacked out as a last desperate breath had filled his lungs full of freezing water.

"Yeah...we...we thought you weren't going to make it out of there alive..." Duo murmured, not taking note of Heero's confusion. The soldier in turn quickly adjusted for it, and began the process to sit up. Duo jumped to like he'd been shot, and automatically pushed Heero back down. Despite how gently the action was carried out, the strength behind it was one Heero could not currently resist, so once again found himself laid flat for all his efforts.

"You need to rest. We've been here for a night and a day, so there's no hurry, and no need for you to strain yourself." Duo admonished quietly, yet aware that the others slept.

Heero gave a small nod in reply, then angled those dark eyes to Duo.

"You said a night and a day? I've been out that long?" He seemed somewhat surprised at the amount of time.

"Yeah. You worried us on that one too. We decided to stay here for today and tonight, but if you'd not come around, we would have had to move on tomorrow anyway...I was afraid...you..." The braided youth replied quietly, unable to finish as he settled again next to where Heero lay, eyes on the ground before him.

A slight intake of air was the first response he gave when the light, tentative touch of fingers on his cheek suddenly had his full attention. Looking over at Heero, Duo met those cobalt eyes with his own amethyst ones.

"You think I would let something so trivial take me from you?" The soldier asked quietly, fingers sliding down the side of Duo's face. A small smile crossed the braided youth's lips.

"No...." He answered, equally as quiet.

"Hn...You're right."

Slowly, Heero moved his hand around until it was cupped behind Duo's neck, and pulled the braided youth irresistibly downwards. Of course, it might have been irresistible, if resisting had actually been something Duo was contemplating. However, that was the farthest thing from the braided youth's mind at the moment.

It was with a sweet passion that flared high between them that lips pressed together, taking and giving in equal shares, each savoring the taste of the other in a moment that seemed to surpass time, and everything else that ended up working against them.

When they broke apart, Duo found that he had somehow ended up on the blankets spread upon the ground, next to Heero, the cobalt eyed soldier having moved just enough to be atop the kiss, leaning over the braided youth who now looked up at him with deep, expression filled eyes. An almost shy smile was on Duo's lips, and his lids fluttered uncharacteristically.

Heero's hand again caressed his face, then ventured lower, trailing along the light hollow of Duo's collarbone where it was bare from the multiple layers he'd worn the past several days, now clad in only a single shirt. A shiver ran through the braided youth's body, giving him pleasant chills.

Ever so slowly, Heero moved his head until he could reach the pale, supple skin of Duo's neck, and delivered a light, feathery kiss there. More shivers ran through Duo as the chocolate haired boy planted a multitude of slow kisses, each a light caress that gave him the most unbearable urge to wriggle in pleasure.

Kisses only landing on the small amount of bare skin available to him, the soldier went about remedying that problem. It was with a slight gasp that Duo felt Heero's cool hand slide up his shirt, fingers playing on his chest for a moment before Heero endeavored to remove the offending article of clothing. As the shirt slipped up revealing creamy smooth contours, Duo seemed to come to his senses.

He wanted this, gods how he wanted this. But it wasn't fair. Not for him; not for Heero.

"H..Heero." He gasped quietly, using a hand to remove the chocolate haired boy's grasp from his shirt, bringing the slender, but sword calloused hand up to his lips to kiss gently.

Cobalt eyes rose to meet his, and his heart nearly melted with the almost, not quite, but almost naked fear he saw in Heero's gaze. Fear of refusal. Fear of rejection.

Duo wanted to keep that look from him, but the only thing he wanted could not be done in the way he most desired.

Reaching a hand up to brush some of the thick locks of hair from Heero's eyes, Duo gave a small, wry smile.

"Heero...you just woke up from nearly being turned into a human icicle.." He said, part admonishingly, part sarcastically, and part sadly, though he did well in hiding that part from him. 

"You need to sleep...more than anything. We're going to be leaving tomorrow...you'll need your strength to return before we go..."

Heero paused, blinking, and appearing to think it through, then nodded in agreement. 

"Hn..." He grunted, then moved back to separate himself from the braided youth.

Duo opened his mouth to protest, and snagged Heero's sleeve in a hand.

"Don't...I didn't mean it like that." Duo said in an almost plaintive voice that seemed to hold an edge of panic in it.

Heero had stopped at the slight tug, and turned back to him with his face already an emotionless mask, the passion and fear of earlier erased as if it had never been.

"Please..." Duo whispered.

Heero held it for only a moment, then caved in at that look, and went back to his place next to Duo with, surprisingly, half a smile.

Now a measure happier, the two of them laid themselves out, at first hesitant, like they'd been caught at something and were wary about continuing. However, all too soon, they lay as close as they could get to each other. Facing one another, Heero's strong arms found their way about Duo's slender shoulders; the smaller boy cuddled into his warm embrace, sighing in deep contentment.

Time passed then, no longer stopped for the two of them. Duo was tired, from worry, and just everything. He began to doze , and in all too short a time, he was completely relaxed and asleep in Heero's arms. The chocolate haired soldier, however, was awake for a short time longer despite his exhaustion. He was engrossed in watching Duo slip through the stages of sleep, the deep, even breathing and slowly fluttering eyes telling him Duo was deep asleep. He freed a hand momentarily to brush a few strand of chestnut hair from Duo's closed eyes, mimicking the braided youth's actions.  
"Duo...." He murmured almost silently.

"No matter what happens to me...I will keep you from being hurt..." He whispered, returning Duo's own vow to the boy sleeping in his embrace with as much fervor as he'd first spoken it.

Then, leaning down the few inches, he gently kissed the crown of Duo's head as a seal to his promise, and then lay back to fall asleep himself.

This entire exchange took a short, quiet amount of time in which only one other person heard.

It was with a soft, kind smile that a certain elf leaned against the rock wall near the entrance. He'd not meant to eavesdrop, but it was somewhat difficult when in essence, it had sounded as if they'd been talking in overly loud voices.

Trowa gave a light sigh that was no more than a half forced exhalation.

It seemed that their group was coming together in more ways than one.

Exactly how long were they going to be able to keep it together?

-----------------------------------

*bows* I have apologies to give to everyone. 

I'm sorry for such a long time since my last update. For the last two weeks, I've been swamped with an unpleasant mixture of school work, and college work, not to mention all the other stuff I have to do -_-' Don't get me started on that. 

My time to write has been cut to about null. I worked on this chapter for about five to six night of catching about half an hour to an hour of work. I mean, I'm finishing this chapter at 1:11am. 

I don't like it taking so long. Doesn't give the overall background feeling a smooth transition, because my mood goes into what I write. Fortunately, I did get this chapter done though (finally) without too much difficulty (though I did have a writers block there for a time that took a freakin' caterpillar tractor to get through)

I want to take a moment to thank you all, my wonderful wonderful reviewers. Peaking over two hundred reviews is something I never thought myself capable of. Just think, you faithful reviewers (and those of you who came in later, I love you too) are the people who made my dream come true. Now my ambitions can go even higher....

Of course...I still need more reviews ^_^'

Only a good handful of chapters left. Aren't you excited!? I am.

On a side, more personal note, Jan 5th was my birthday ^_^ I hit the big 18 this year.

Ok, onto a depressing note. My updates will be taking me longer to do. I'm hoping to get a chapter out at least once a week, but as these past few weeks have already demonstrated, I never know what will come up to keep me from having the time to work on Eclipse of Dusk.

Never fear though, for the end is coming to claim you all!!! 

Mwahahaha!!

Erm…yeah. Go and see the new Picture! Its really really good, I promise! A mix pic with Duo and Shinigami.

That's all for now...you can go

-Hseru

Review, Review!! ((come on guys! I've been averaging in at about 5-6 reviews a chapter! I want that average up!))


	26. Chapter 26

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5xM (Hey look...he's got someone now ^_^)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 26

It was with the coming of dawn's light that heralded their departure from the warm cave to the bleary cold of winter in the mountains.

Heero was not given lead for once, but rather Wufei took point, with Heero, Duo, and Quatre in the center, and Meiran and Trowa now bringing up the rear guard. They no longer rode the mounts; fresh snow was piled too deeply for them to break through. They walked, each along side his or her respective mount, snowshoes strapped to their feet. The things were awkward at best, and other than serving to save their legs by keeping them from plunging knee deep into the snow, were merely annoying. The only lucky one was Trowa, elven lightness keeping him from the need to wear the cumbersome things. 

However, they each did wear their pair, except for Trowa that is, and their speed was kept at a decent pace they would all be able to stay at, even the still recovering Heero.

They stopped for a short rest a few candlemarks before midday. Quatre, surprisingly enough, was the one to call it, saying both Heero and Wufei shouldn't push themselves too hard just yet. The others amiably agreed with him, with the exception of Heero and Wufei. The both of them protested, but the little mage stood firm in what he believed, and he was the closest thing to a healer they had next to Trowa.

So a stop was called, and taken. It was short, consisting of half a candlemark where they removed the snowshoes, kicking out the snow which was stuck in the laces, and taking a bit of grain to the steeds so that their metabolism, and therefore body heat, would stay up.

It was after they began forward again that the hair at the back of Duo's neck began to stand on end, sending unpleasant chills racing down his spine that had nothing to do with the cold. 

Someone, or something was watching them.

Pausing in his step for a moment, he then resumed forward level with Heero, who'd previously marched behind him.

"Heero..." He muttered, catching the chocolate haired boy's attention. Heero turned an eye to him, dark brow raised in question.

"Hn...?" He grunted.

"There's something watching us...I don't know what." Duo said, violet eyes glancing about with a somewhat nervous air. 

"Did you just now notice this?" The soldier asked, all his attention on Duo now.

"Yeah...right after we started moving again." The braided youth replied. "I don't think it's just one thing either. It feels like we're...surrounded." He added, another shiver brushing down his back.

Heero turned his gaze outwards, focusing his senses now. He'd always been alert; it was trained into him to be so; but he'd not felt what Duo now spoke of. That is, not until he was alerted to it. Now, he did feel it.

The gaze of something, of several somethings eyeing the small traveling party

He cursed silently.

Their short period of non-movement, the day and nights within the cave, had allowed something to lock onto the small group. There was no telling whether what watched was of an evil intent or not, but they had best assume the worst. Especially as they drew nearer to Sarkan's stronghold. He was bound to be able to track Duo's collar; the closer they got, the more opposition they were likely to encounter.

"I'll inform Wufei and Quatre. You tell Trowa and Meiran." Heero said quietly, his training taking over now. With a nod, Duo again paused, casually, and waited for Trowa to come level with him so he could tell the elf of their situation, then Meiran.

Heero moved forward, equally as casual, and bespoke Quatre, then forward again to where Wufei led the group.

"Wufei...we have a situati-" Heero began, but was cut short by the sudden explosion of sound directly behind him.

A grunting roar that sounded half choked accompanied a beast half the size of an Olyphant (1) as it crashed through the brush and trees. Craggy gray in color and covered in coarse darker hair, two tree trunk legs supported a thick, bulky body, accompanied by over-long arms, one grasping the end of a crude cudgel that looked more like a small tree. A diminutive head was affixed to the top, there appearing to be no neck separating the two, and a small, beady pair of black eyes could barely be made out in the brutish face, a low brow over the sunken sockets, giving it an altogether unfinished look. A large, square jaw rimmed with razor teeth set in rows much like a shark's topped off the look of complete beast.

Heero and Wufei recognized the creature immediately, surprise registering on their faces. Troll, and a big one at that.

And it had landed in the foolishly large gap Duo and Heero'd made when moving forward and back to warn the others of the very beast's presence, cutting Trowa, Meiran, and Duo off from the others.

As if to expound their situation, five more of the beasts trumpeted the charge, and there was only a heart beat's amount of time to wonder why so many of the solitary creatures were grouped together, as if it were not obvious enough.

Then the world turned into a melee of motion where they found themselves sorely outnumbered in sheer strength alone.

Three of the six trolls aimed for the front half of the party, while the other three headed for the back half.

Quatre had to hold his bucking Arabian from running off, the Illians more ready to fight the trolls themselves than flee from the eight foot tall beasts. It left the little mage without the concentration needed to cast a spell, and he released the lead reins to free his hands and mind for a spell, the white stallion galloping away from the objects of its fear.

Wufei gave a grim smile as the trolls advanced, and his blades shimmered out of their sheaths. He took a step forward, cursed the snow shoes he suddenly found hampering his full abilities, and was fell upon by one of the trolls, cudgel and fist swinging. He dodged around, again cursing the damn snowshoes, and landed a slice home on the troll's upper abdomen. Only to have his blade deflected in a shower of sparks. A loud curse erupted from him then, as he realized just what _type_ of troll they were up against. Well nigh invincible to steal weaponry, the mountain troll was made from nearly solid stone, easily hard enough to break most weapons. Their weak spots were few, and small. Inside the razor rimmed mouth, and at a certain spot close to where their legs joined heir thick bodies. Gritting his jaw, Wufei aimed for those spots, hoping he would be able to finish the beast off quickly before any of the others were overwhelmed.

Heero's diamond blade scythed out of its metal sheath with a loud rasp, and the bright shower of sparks from Wufei's deflected sword told him all it needed to.

Aiming low, he swiped at the troll advancing upon him, intent upon hitting the soft spot. The beast saw it coming, and carelessly brought its arm up to guard itself. Heero cursed silently as his blade missed its intended target, instead hitting against the rock hard forearm of the troll; and sinking deep into the suddenly yielding flesh.

With a howl of pain, the troll swung back with its fist, and Heero's own surprise was almost enough to allow his wits to be overcome by the blow, yet he brought his sword back up to block. The black diamond blade bit deep into the troll's fist, easily slicing through layers of rock hard skin, muscle and bone as if he were merely slicing bread.

The troll backed off with a stupid look on its face, suddenly realizing it was not so invulnerable as it had first thought.

Heero was given a half second to figure out exactly _why_ he'd been able to cut into the mountain troll. Then it dawned on him.

He possessed a solid black _diamond _blade, the hardest mineral known to exist besides star silver. Phenris had said something about the edge being monofilament sharp. Able to cut through stone.

It was with a grim smile that Heero leapt forward, two things on his mind. 

Kill the trolls. 

Get to Duo.

...

At the sudden appearance of the trolls, Meiran's tan mare had reared back in fright, nearly jerking her arm off in the process as it pulled against the leader rope she held.

She was reluctant to let the mare go, but she needed both her hands free to fight. A quick motion had both hers, and her late brother's sword in her hands, her hold upon the bay mare gone, allowing the snorting horse to kick its way through the snow and away from the attacking trolls.

"Duo!" She shouted, tossing her brother's sword hilt first to the braided youth who had at first been paralyzed with surprise and no small amount of fear. Murasaki was in front of him, a blazing black demon ready to flail with those mace large hooves at anything close enough.

Her yell jolted him to awareness in time to fumble a catch of the sword, managing to not cut himself in the process, and he then took forceful hold of Murasaki's reins, and gave a good hard slap to her rear. Startled, she was moved into a hard canter, away from the fight.

Even as he directed his attention to more important matters, he was barely in time to block the half swing of a huge cudgel aimed his way. The blow was indeed blocked, but Duo flew back with the force, coming up sharp against the hard bark of an aspen tree. It just about knocked the breath from him, and he moved quickly behind the thin screen of trees in an effort to escape the next attack.

Trowa had grabbed his bow and arrow as soon as he got a good look at the attacking trolls, his un-named Illian backing up with him, yet just behind to stay clear of the elf's shot. Backing up as quickly as he was able, which was quick indeed without having snowshoes strapped to his feet, he nocked an arrow to the taunt string of his bow.

The first release was useless, as his target moved at the last second, the arrow bouncing off the solid skull of the troll advancing upon him. However, when the beast let loose with a feral roar of delight as it bore down upon its intended victim, it found the feathered end of an elvish arrow protruding from the back of its throat, and odd kind of numb feeling spreading down from where the thin, barbed head of the arrow had pierced through to its brain.

The troll dropped dead at Trowa's feet moments later.

The elf did not have time to rejoice, for his comrades were yet in danger. He moved forward to where Duo and Meiran each struggled with their own troll, each unable to inflict damage, and worse yet, not knowing where or how to do so.

Nocking another arrow, the elf came first to the troll facing Meiran.

He loosed an arrow, aiming to gain the beast's attention rather than do any damage. The arrow reflected off the back of the troll's head, flying away to who knew where.

Before he could loose another to further gain its attention, he was knocked to the ground by an explosion of sorts, the force of what he presumed to be a spell knocking even the trolls flat, not to mention Meiran. He could not see Duo anymore -the youth had dodged into the trees to try and elude the troll that followed- and that worried him beyond what had managed to knock him flat.

It was a spell, concocted by Quatre, and aimed at the troll nearest him. The only thing he could think of to stop one of the things was a spell designed to decimate rock. It was more of a defensive spell than a war spell, but it worked well enough. The troll he'd aimed it at was no longer alive, half of its body blown off by the blast. The carcass now lay in a steaming puddle of its own viscous crimson blood.

Wufei and Heero had both been blown off their feet, not to mention the troll each faced, only they were the quicker to get up.

The sword's master plunged his sword deep into one of the mountain troll's body via the soft spot on its lower abdomen.

Heero did not bother to find any such spot. His troll was lacerated in many places, but just because he could damage the beast did not necessarily mean it could be felled easier. Merely that dispatching it took a quick, strong slice at the creature's non-existent neck, severing the head from the body in one smooth move.

A yelp from the surprising distance that now separated them from the others caught all three's attention. The only visible troll was backing Meiran into a corner, and both Trowa and Duo were no-where to be seen.

Heero reached out a hand, and a tall line of fire abruptly rose to life between the troll and the young woman, halting the troll for the few seconds it would take them to get there. 

The creature was impervious to the flames, which was why he'd not used them before, but their appearance had been enough to puzzle it into stopping.

As they arrived, Heero extinguished the flame, focusing on the creature before them.

Now surrounded by four smaller beings intent upon hurt, the mountain troll was confused. Its small capacity for thought did not have the ability to understand why it was being fought back. With a snarl, the troll took a back swing at the three newcomers, each avoiding it in their own way.

Heero sliced inwards, scoring a deep cut across the troll's stomach. It bellowed in pain, and struck back. The soldier caught the blow in such a way that he was sent flying backwards to land hard in the soft snow, rolling to better take the impact.

Wufei took his place, driving inwards at the large gash Heero'd made in the creature. His sword sank deep, carving into the pain riddled mountain troll, revealing that only their tough skin was so impervious to harm. Once past that, it was as easy as facing anything else with a razor steel weapon.

Wufei gave his blade a sharp twist, and pulled it out as quick as he'd plunged it in, ripping viscera and letting loose a fountain of blood on the way.

With a pain filled squawk, the troll grabbed at him, only to find itself holding nothing but air, much to its dismay and confusion. By then, Wufei was far from its reach, and already moving in again for another strike. This was his forte. Even bound with the snowshoes, he could move in and out far faster than the troll could keep up with, blade a flash of now reddened steel.

Heero picked himself up from the snow, eyes darting at everything.

Quatre was now next to Meiran, the both of them ready to help should it be needed, rather in awe of Wufei's mastery.

...But where were Trowa and Duo?

His search became a bit frantic as Wufei finally downed the last troll, flipping the blood from his blades to spot the snow with red tears.

Hurrying over, he went straight to Meiran.

"Meiran...where are Duo and Trowa?" He asked quickly. The warrior maiden blinked, looking around.

"I saw the both of them just moments ago." She said, the silence that now descended upon them heavy with unvoiced thoughts. Heero was the first to move in the direction of the trees, going to where he himself had last seen the braided youth.

Evidence of the scuffle littered the ground; broken and twisted trees from the mountain troll's attacks narrowed down his area of search, not to mention giving him a clear path to follow.

Over the heavier steps of the troll, a light pair of tracks were barely evident, which meant that Trowa had followed the same trail as well what could have been only moments before.

Quickening his pace, the others only a few steps behind, Heero nearly stumbled over the long, hard metal thing that lay in his path. Pausing to pick it up, he stared at what he held.

Meiran's Brother's sword.

Meiran herself came up behind him, eyes wide with fear for her friend.

"That's Duo's sword..." She whispered.

With a grunt, Heero moved forward again, the hurry evident in his step.

All too soon, they came to a small clearing. Here, they found the tracks of several more trolls converging onto the solitary one's now more uniform tracks. 

Here, Trowa's light prints disappeared.

And the entire pack of trolls had moved out from the area towards the North-West.

Towards Sarkan.

Heero felt a weight settle over his thoughts, over his heart.

They had Duo.

By the gods, Sarkan had Duo.

-----------------------------------

1. Ok, so I cheated and pulled a Tolkien. Obviously, this is an elephant. Think big, like African elephant instead of Indian.

Hrmmm… I liked writing this chapter. It means that things will pick up.

Tell me if you think I should change the rating. I'll warn now, Sarkan is evil, and tends to torture.

Just a heads up to further goad the suspense. 

Mwahahahahaha!!!

Erm *cough cough* yeah

Ja!

-Hseru

Review, review!! ((Yay ^^ I had lots of reviews for the last chappy. Keep 'em coming!))


	27. Chapter 27

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5xM (Hey look...he's got someone now ^_^)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 27

The four of their group that was left made their way quickly back to where the Illians waited. They spent precious time searching out both Quatre and Meiran's horses, but they were found without too much difficulty. All through the search though, Heero seemed distracted.

-I failed him... I swore I wouldn't let anything hurt him... and I failed him...- It ran over and over in his mind, his own little mantra that beat a bloody trail through his thoughts.

If it was only slightly noticeable that something was wrong with Heero, it was vastly to the opposite where Quatre was concerned. When they'd reached the clearing, an initial search had encompassed the area. They found no sign that either Duo, or Trowa had left under their own will, though one could hope. Quatre seemed beyond consolation , however.

The little mage had searched as frantically as Heero, and when it was obvious neither Duo nor Trowa were in evidence, he simply folded up, knees giving out so that he fell to sit in the snow. It had taken some coaxing to get him to come back to them, but when he did, it was a brooding, withdrawn Quatre that greeted them, a personality so totally different from what they were used to that it was obvious he now had a serious mission, and nothing would get in his way. It was almost scary...

The two unridden Illians followed behind the party when they finally set out, not needing a lead rein to keep them together. They were as much on a mission as Quatre.

It was useless to try and reach Sarkan before the trolls, but they would probably have better luck following the broad, trampled trail the Trolls had left rather than keeping to the trail they were breaking themselves. Their speed would improve, at least until the snows came to lay fresh power again, because the trail was solid, beaten down by the beasts that had traversed it. Meaning that the party would be able to mount up once again.

Heero took the lead, and no one tried to gainsay him in that. Wufei took his position at back, in front of the rider less Illians, and they were off.

Speed was their key asset here.

If his calculations were correct, they were still a good week and a half from Sarkan's stronghold. If they made good time when they could, days even could be shaved off from that time. 

It was with heavy thoughts that they kneed the steeds into a light canter, iron shod hooves pounding on the beaten snow and rock, a racy rhythm of multiple heartbeats counting down to the last stand, the last hour. 

Down to the last breath.

...

The youth holding the immortal soul of a dragon swam in and out of consciousness. 

Even when it seemed that the light of open eyes was just within his reach, something stretched up to grab at him, and pull him back under yet again to the swirling dark void.

Flashes of what happened around him seemed to get into his head though, through the foggy darkness permeating his mind.

Flash: The last thing he'd seen before going under, a huge meat hook fist traveling towards his head.

Flash: Tall gray bodies moving around him, upside down.

Flash: The chilled cold of winter seeping into his stiff joints.

And then he began to come around.

With a stifled moan of pain, Duo dredged upwards towards wakefulness, finally opening his eyes. He was rewarded with more darkness, and for a panicked moment, he thought he'd gone blind. Then, small pinpoints of light began to sort themselves from the darkness, and he came to realize that he looked upwards at a night-time sky instead of an abyss completely devoid of light.

His head ached something fierce, and his body felt like he'd been through a rockslide and lived to tell the tale. He shifted, trying to move his arms to help him sit up, when a second realization came to him that had escaped his notice before.

His hands were bound behind him with what felt like stiff rope, the thick coils looping around his arms, and chest to eliminate the chance of escape. The rope then wound down his legs, securing his ankles together uncomfortably tight. His hands were cold, and numb, a sharp contrast to the slight burn at his wrists where the rope had apparently chaffed his skin.

The past came back to him then with a jolt. They'd been attacked by a group of trolls -even he knew not what to call a multitude of the things because they were so rarely seen with more than one at a time. He'd raced through the trees as the large gray creature had gained upon him, only to suddenly come upon another of the brutes unexpectedly. Blocking a direct blow from the newcomer had caused pain to shoot up his arms, and his sword had dropped from useless, numbed fingers. The troll following him caught up then, and Duo had turned in time to see the fist which had immediately dropped him upon the first hit.

Now, as he suffered the after-effects of that hit, he didn't know where he was, and under who's 'care' he was kept prisoner.

Deciding that a look around would not cost him, Duo slowly turned his head to make out anything in the gloom.

He almost wished he'd kept his eyes shut.

Not a foot from him lay a Vlarg. The beast's vicious red eyes were open, and staring at him, a snarl lifting scaled lips back from wicked teeth. He now distinguished the low growl coming from the beast, something that had been going on ever since he'd first moved. It plainly said 'move and prepare to have your throat torn out', which Duo was disinclined to have happen.

However, he couldn't keep the jerk he gave when he was suddenly picked up from behind, and tossed over something's shoulder like a bag of grain. Rough texture, gray skin, black fur.

Yup, another troll.

But Duo was awake and aware now, and he began actively taking account of his surroundings. 

Lifting his head, he again looked around. He was carried by one of three trolls, and several Vlarg snarled about the great brute's feet, red eyes flashing at him in the gloom. The smaller creatures probably act as watch dogs, and the one watching him so avidly before must have alerted the troll to his movements.

The group was up and moving at a surprising speed, considering the trolls' size. It led Duo to wonder just how long they'd been moving, and how long he'd been out.

As if to expound upon his fears, the trolls were suddenly moving down hill through a break in the mountainside, the forestry either cleared away or dead around them. He tried to lift up enough to get a look at where they headed, but the troll holding him felt his movements and gave him a rough jolt accompanied by a warning growl.

Gritting his teeth as pain flashed through his head to punctuate the abrupt movement, Duo was forced to lie unmoving down the troll's back once again. They would be there all too soon anyway, if the brief glimpse he'd gotten proved anything.

The fortress ahead looked all too familiar. After all, Phenris had shown them Sarkan's stronghold before. He would have to be a fool to not recognize it now.

Awaiting doom meekly? Hell no.

He was merely hoping for some opportunity to present itself before he was too far along to appreciate it.

...

A portcullis moved overhead, wicked sharp prongs aimed downwards to secure the gate into the ground, heedless of anyone that stood beneath it. A shiver raced up Duo's spine as the metalwork passed, and they were within the stronghold.

Sarkan's stronghold.

Ye gods, he should be terrified right about now, but for some reason Duo wasn't. 

That fact was with all due credit to the stark presence of oppression that hung over the place, coupled with a grim kind of dread. The walls themselves, rising far overhead to end in a bulwark ready for a siege, spoke of conscripted menace. Spires of smooth black stone reached like accusing fingers into the sky to grasp at the waning moon that was previously obscured, not a single window filled with anything that could pass as light. Not to mention the panorama of guards and creatures -better suited to the night than anything else- that roamed about the place in a seemingly busy way.

Perhaps he was only feeling an odd detachment from the situation, as if he were not really there.

Of course, that was partially brought to an end as he was abruptly and painfully unslung from the troll's shoulder to be dropped roughly to the hard ground, knocking the wind from him.

Trussed up as he was, he simply lay there for a moment to gain back his breath, then turned to the side when the sound of footsteps unlike those around him not only brought the others to a halt, but placed a quiet edge to the air like a knife ready to fall upon the throat if its intended victim.

Wide violet eyes fell upon his captor with what could readily be considered as a look of surprise.

This was not quite what he'd expected.

A quite handsome man, tall, and clad in clothes that were both aesthetic, and functional -a pair of blooming pantaloons and vest dyed a deep burgundy red coupled with a black undershirt and boots- paused before the trussed youth. Golden blond hair that would have shamed the most fair of maidens fell unfettered to his shoulders, and blue eyes rest under a thick lock of that hair, so deep that they rivaled the hue of even Heero's, who possessed the deepest cerulean blue eyes Duo'd ever seen.

However, any doubt that this was indeed Sarkan was blown away like so must chaff when the man spoke in a voice that chilled Duo to the bone.

"My dear little dragon has come back to me. I have finally found my lost treasure." The sorcerer's voice could have curdled milk, then froze it with the empty cold that permeated his words. It was as if every emotion other than cold contempt had been scoured from his very being.

Duo didn't think he could force words past the numbing fear he suddenly felt, but he managed it.

"Treasure...my ass." He gritted. "Since when does a cold-hearted bastard... care for anything save himself?" It was useless banter, he knew, but it was about the only thing he had left to hurl at the insidious sorcerer. He now wished for something to truly throw, big, and sharp enough to wipe the slow grin -spreading like molasses across Sarkan's face- completely off.

"Such big words for so small a boy." He chided, much like one would either a small child, or a disobedient pet.

With a wave of a slender hand, Sarkan had three human guards come and pick Duo up with no amount of gentleness, one stooping to cut the ropes binding his feet to allow him to stand on his own.

"Take him the the room I prepared. Get him settled in, then report back to me when you've completed that." He said sharply to one of them. He paused a moment to look back at Duo again, and one pale hand reached out to his neck. With a lazy movement, he ran a finger over the cold metal of Duo's collar, and it almost felt like he'd run his finger through the youth's very essence, leaving a burning trail behind. Duo twisted in the grip of the guards, almost brought to his knees save for their hold, gasping for the breath which had suddenly been cut off from him.

"We'll see that you learn your place in time..." 

The sorcerer left the open ended threat hanging on the air, and Duo suppressed the shiver again worming its way across his body, the searing pain slowly fading. 

What exactly did he mean by "in time.."?

The sorcerer walked away then without a second look, and the guards hauled Duo up, and trooped off to follow his orders.

Duo was dragged, again with no more care than a sack of ill begotten potatoes, through a door on the far side of the courtyard, and into the dim interior of the hold, lit only by the occasional wall sconce holding a guttering, oil soaked torch. He tried to pay special attention to where they were taking him, should a chance at escape come to him, but soon he was lost in the plethora of stairwells, split hallways, and closed doors. All he knew now was that he was being taken down, into the bowels of Sarkan's hold. 

Coming to the end of a hallway where the doors had ended some distance back, one of the guards -the same one Sarkan had spoken to earlier- took a ring of keys from his pocket, and began the short process of sorting through the various keys to find a match to the single door they faced. The jangle echoed faintly in the end hallway, spiking Duo's nerve.

"Wow...I get a hallway all to myself, huh?" He asked from where he was held up by the two remaining human guards. The main guard turned to give him a look, then abruptly took a step forward, and delivered a resounding backhand, metal studded gloves and all.

Duo's head was whipped around with the force of the blow, momentarily dazing him. The coppery taste of blood filled his mouth, and he turned his head back to aim a contemptuous glare at the guard, though his eyes did not quite focus yet.

"The master may put up with your damn mouth, but any time I hear it, you will regret it. Do I make myself clear, boy?" The guard snapped. He didn't get a reply, but didn't seem too fazed about it. He'd gotten his point across.

With a huff, the main guard turned back to finish working the keys, and opened the door without further incident.

Pausing a moment, he turned back to Duo, and slid a knife from its small sheath at his belt. Duo tensed in slight fear, but the man simply cut his bonds, then shoved him forward into the dark room. The door slid shut with a slam behind him, the resounding click of the lock echoing through the room.

Rubbing gingerly at his abused wrists, the braided youth didn't move yet from where he'd stumbled inside, able to see nothing save for pitch black.

Duo's eyes began to eventually adjust though. There was small enough light as it was, but there seemed to be a sort of glow from what looked like a hole in the ceiling. Careful lest he should trip over something, he moved over to peer upwards. It was a tunnel a good two hundred feet in length, leading straight up to the free sky. Of course, there were several sets of thick bars between him and the sky, but at least he would be able to see it.

As the room grew more clear, Duo slid a hand gingerly up to his face, wincing at the sting the small touch caused. He was bleeding, though not too badly it seemed; the studded glove had done a number on his skin, but it wasn't too bad -mostly just bruised.

The room he was held in was small, as was expected. However, the state of his arrangements were unexpected, as so many things had been of late. 

A small, but clean looking bed complete with a decent mattress and blanket lay against one wall. There was a designated area for the latrine, and it was clear by the lack of stench, that it was clean. Again, surprising. From what he'd expected...well, to be honest, he'd expected to be killed on sight. To have livable conditions could mean a great number of things. Mainly, that Sarkan wanted him alive, and apparently healthy.

But why?

That was the question that haunted Duo throughout the rest of the night, and well into the days to come.

-----------------------------------

Please don't be angry with me my dear readers. I apologize for the abnormally long time between updates, but I figured that I should at least give you a juicy bit of new information to play with. 

Hope you enjoyed this chapter nevertheless

-Hseru

Review, Review!! (Yesh...I got many many good reviews for the last chapter. They were a pleasure to read, so thank you all.)


	28. Chapter 28

Mwahaha! I got quite a few reviews asking about our dear elf, Trowa. Well, wouldn't you all just love to know what happened to him. *evil grin*

Wait and find out...

And no, Sarkan is neither Treize, nor Zechs (aka Milliardo, whom was an elf if I may remind you). To tell the truth, I contemplated using him as such, but then trashed the idea. It's really just that I enjoy the thought of the bad guy looking so good. It's a contradiction to the state of their soul and general grasp on normal mental capacities ( ie. sanity ^_^ )

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5xM (Hey look...he's got someone now ^_^)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 28

Several days passed in a dull, yet tense and overly stressed blur for Duo. He sat in his cell waiting for...well, for anything to tell the truth. Whether it be death, some horrific torture, or... 

Well, safe to say, he'd run out of terrible things that could be done to him by the end of the first day, and was left contemplating the ways and workings of the whole screwed up universe. He was delivered food three times a day, consisting of a somewhat thick meat broth, a chunk of bread, and a cup of water. At first hesitant to touch the fare lest it should be poisoned, the braided youth eventually let hunger win out, coming to the conclusion that if Sarkan wanted him dead, he would have already succumbed to rigor mortis. Of course, it could have contained a horribly slow working poison to kill him as painfully as possible, but thankfully that was not the case, as the though crossed his mind _after _his first meal was already out of recalling distance. The cell was cold, but not frigid as might be expected, and the blanket upon the bed was used to effectively stave off said cold.

He saw no one save for the guard that visited for the few seconds it took to deliver the food then retrieve the empty dishes. Glimpses through the open door revealed that there were several guards on detail to watch him at all times. It was unnerving, but not nearly as much as not having anyone to talk to, or to even see long enough to get a good look at. He took to humming to himself on the second day, and by the third he'd counted out exactly how many steps it was to each wall and corner of the room. 

It was 12 paces straight across from the small cot to the opposite wall, counting the three paces that made up the width of the cot. The length of his cell was an even 16 steps, and he took to pacing, counting each step as he went. It began to feel as if the walls were gradually moving inwards on him, and it was some small reassurance to the braided youth that each time he counted, the room was no smaller than before. 

The small hole open to the sky was located in the corner opposite the door. It gave him light during the day, and a vague way of telling time, and he would often pause in his pacing to look upwards, sometimes wistfully, sometimes angrily. In the end, it might have been surprising to see the multitude of emotions that tumbled through the youth's visage. 

He started off with a genuinely depressed outlook, then moved on through the gambit from hopeful, to incensed, to annoyed, and back again. It might have been humorous to see him fuming one moment and moping the next, but Duo had good reason for his uncontrolled emotions, and there was no humor to be found in his situation.

It was near the end of the third day when Duo was finally visited by his captor. The light was low, as the sun was close to setting. He'd paused in his incessant pacing long enough to hear the approach of someone unfamiliar. By unfamiliar, it was not the clanking of hard boots signaling the coming of a guard he heard, but the softer tread of someone else.

The guards at the door shuffled quietly about, and Duo took a step back from the door as the key was shoved into the lock from the outside, and the heavy bolt released. In stepped the blond sorcerer, now bedecked in a long, trailing crimson cloak kept at his throat by an ornately worked golden clasp shot through with rubies. Beneath the cloak, his attire was much similar to what he'd worn before, only now there seemed to be pieces of metal armor added to the ensemble. A burnished chest plate was secured with belts, trailing short, overlapping pieces of chain-mail to just past his waist. At each wrist was a metal studded leather guard covering the backs of his hands to a little past his mid fore-arm.

Sarkan looked quite grand, to say the least, and Duo watched the sorcerer warily from across the room as he stopped just inside the door to the braided youth's cell, azure eyes locking onto amethyst ones.

"Well...have you had a pleasant stay?" Those cool vocals ran over him like a burning caress, sending shivers down his back. However, Duo managed to repress most of his reaction to reply.

"I've stayed in better. The ventilation needs some serious work, and the food is less than desirable." He said in a voice laced with sarcasm and contempt. 

A smile quirked at Sarkan's lips from the youth's words.

"Ah...then I will have to either get that fixed, or find a way to make you better appreciate what you have been given." The sorcerer replied icily, with an undertone of amusement. Duo was about to give a scathing reply when two of the guards stepped within the room, one holding iron manacles. Apparently they'd received some hidden signal, for as one, they moved with obvious purpose towards the braided youth. 

Duo backed up until he came up square against the far wall, then lashed out at the two who'd separated to get at him from both sides. Sarkan watched on with open amusement as Duo struck one of the guards, the man doubling over for a moment, but not before he had a strong hold on the arm connected to the fist which had impacted into his gut. Wrenching backwards, Duo was unable to dislodge the man's bruising grip, and the second guard, the one with the manacles, came up behind him, grabbing hold of his other arm, and before Duo could so much as protest, had snapped one end of the manacles about the youth's wrist. 

All the fight suddenly left Duo then as a searing pain flowed up his arm, the resulting pain radiating from his collar bringing him to his knees with a gasp. It took only a few seconds for the first guard to pull the youth's other hand roughly behind his back, snapping the second manacle into place.

The two stepped back then, as if to survey their work.

Duo slowly hunched over on his knees, forehead resting against the ground, face twisted into a grimace of pain though it could not readily be seen from his current position. Each breath brought new pain with it, a twisting, nerve cutting pain, and the result was that he took short, thin breaths that only served to make him dizzy on top of everything else.

And then the world tilted as he was jerked upright by a tight and sudden pull on his braid.

He looked dazedly up at deep blue eyes and a smiling face, the pain apparently dulled somewhat by the sorcerer's touch.

"Now...we'll just leave you here alone for a day or two to see how you fair." Sarkan said cheerfully. "I do hope you'll learn something from this, but one _can _only hope" And with that, he released the youth's braid, the sudden return of pain sending Duo crashing back to the ground, unable to catch himself even had he been paying attention to so trivial a thing.

Even as the sorcerer moved to leave, his last few words tossed so carelessly behind him penetrated like an arrow through the fog that had begun to cloud Duo's pain numbed mind, sending him reeling into a world of despair and loss, everything else forgotten.

"Oh, and I wouldn't get your hopes up for a rescue if I were you. ...They've been taken care of."

...

Six days.

Hard traveling for six days with small amounts of rest and a few snatched hours of sleep during the darkest night saw the group of four companions a great deal closer to their goal than they would have been had they been traveling at the same pace as before.

Weariness had begun to drag at each of them, and it was with a resigned sense of urgency that Heero nevertheless called a halt for a brief, but sorely needed rest.

The snows had, thankfully, held off for the greater part, only slight flurries managing to get past the great gray barrier of clouds that hung overhead. Their trail stayed clear, and packed, giving them the opportunity to make twice the distance they would have in the same amount of time. They saw no signs of the trolls they followed though. Nothing but the footprints remained to say they had even traveled this way. The beasts had probably been moving solidly both day and night in order to bring Sarkan his prize.

Not too long after setting out, Quatre had found something interesting about the connection his magic had to the collar Duo wore. He could sense, through the link, the general direction in which the youth was. It had not been so clear before, as they'd always kept close, but it was a definite tug on his mind that he felt might end up being useful, instead of the constant detrimental state he found himself in. Also, something he did not see need to tell the others, a dull pain in his chest had begun late the day before, and not stopped as he hoped it would. For some reason, it sent a thrill of fear for his friend threading down his back, for he had good reason to believe the pain he felt was Duo's...

Though these thoughts clouded his mind, forever and anon the worry for Trowa was present The question of whether the elf was even still alive ran like mad through his thoughts, distracting unless he forcefully shoved them to the back of his mind. The blonde mage focused on thinking that Trowa was one of the most resourceful people he'd ever met, and if anyone could survive what they suspected had happened to him, it was the elf.

Despite this, he kept his head quite well. He refrained from using any sort of magic, be it little or big. If Duo's collar decided it wanted to grab at his magic again, or if being with Sarkan strengthened the collar's hold upon him, then he wasn't all that sure what would happen, whether it be that the youth would feel the drain as he had both previous times and stop it, or the mage would be sucked completely dry of his life force, leaving only an empty shell.

They settled down in a small copse of trees off to the side of the trail they followed, effectively sheltered from the worst of the snowfall by the thick canopy overhead. Therefore, the ground was clear, if yet frozen, and offered as secure a resting place as could be desired. 

Deciding that a full stop would be best, they set about getting wood for a short fire, and scouting the area for any potential hazards that were within the immediate vicinity.

Meiran and Wufei did the scouting, while Heero gathered wood, and Quatre went about making a fire from scratch. The chocolate haired boy returned shortly with an armload of half dry wood to find the little mage with a small blaze going, however it would not be large enough to catch that which Heero carried. So he boosted the flame with a mental flick, showering the both of them with warmth while they piled the wood on. It would burn clean, and virtually smokeless, which was ideal.

Wufei and Meiran, meanwhile, had split to circle around each side of their chosen camp spot. The sword's master and virtual Amazon had grown closer over the time spent in hot pursuit, despite worries that hounded each and every step of the way. 

Wufei still did his katas in the brief resting times, managing to keep at his practice even when dead tired. It spoke of his discipline that he could, and would weave his way through a difficult kata while at the same time barely be able to stay atop a horse for weariness. Meiran was the one who got him to stop, and to rest. She seemed to be the only one who _could _do it, for even if Heero had grown more close to Duo over the interim, it was Wufei who had first found the youth bedraggled in the dragon's cave, and therefore took the braided youth's health and welfare upon himself as a duty and responsibility he believed he'd neglected. The warrior maiden talked him down, so to speak. Soothing, is what one might say she was to him, though she herself had such a fiery spirit in even the worst of times, as was currently being demonstrated.

They talked, and half of the time that talking consisted of arguments that eventually ended up with neither of them knowing what had actually started the fight. Then they would continue on peaceably as if nothing had happened.

It was an odd relationship, to say the least, but it was a relationship. In fact, it was the first of such that Wufei had experienced. Hell, he was no child. Pleasure houses offered the kind of release needed at that age, but nothing more than the physical did they sate. Even one so used to being alone began at times to wish for the company given by a loved one, and not merely by traveling companions and good friends.

Because of this, he was unduly awkward in the way he went about things. For once, he'd found a woman he considered worthy [1] of his true respect and consideration, and he had no idea how to approach her. So, to cover his blunders, he got angry, which resulted in the fights. But it was unfair to say that he caused them all, for Meiran had her share of confrontation when concerning the sword's master as well.

It was a two way relationship, to say the least, for both of them were unsure how to proceed, even if to proceed at all, and it made for a somewhat uncomfortable time for Quatre and Heero, who were both in a constant state of worry over their other halves.

For now, they worked well together, easily as able to give and receive silent messages as Heero and Wufei were able to, even though the pair had worked together for far longer.

At the moment, the sword's master was busy keeping a keen eye out for any signs of danger as he moved just outside the boundaries of the tree line. In so doing, he didn't miss what many would have, mixed between the line of snow and ground.

Outlined in the snow was the half brushed away impression of a boot, immediately identified as belonging to none in their party.

A closer look at the surrounding snow and ground, now that he knew he was looking for something so specific, revealed several more such tracks. Many more than a single man, or even a small group of men would have conceivably made. And the tracks were fresh, for the small amount of melted snow in each print was still unfrozen, a process that took little time in these temperatures.

Hurrying, though not in a rash way, the sword's master made his way back to camp, thankful that there seemed to be no evidence of incident there as of yet. Quatre and Heero, yet unaware of the danger, had a merry fire eating at the logs thrown on, a veritable signal to anyone within any certain amount of distance. Cursing under his breath, he moved into the camp, immediately crossing to where Heero sat next to the blaze, keeping it under control with barely a thought.

"We have a problem." Wufei said quietly, stopping next to him. He had Heero's immediate attention then, searing cobalt eyes latching onto his own.

"There is perhaps a score of men [2] not two miles distant from us. I found fresh tracks just outside this wood, heading around to the South from the North." He said quickly, breaking eye contact to glance warily around. There was Quatre, listening intently, but....

Where was Meiran?

A sudden fear seized him as he realized something dreadfully important.

Meiran had taken the southern half of the circuit, the same direction the tracks had been heading in. What if they had met up? Would sounds of a scuffle reach them in the camp? Would they perchance lay in ambush, and catch her unawares?

Without a second thought, Wufei strode out of the camp again towards where the warrior maiden had been on her scouting rounds, leaving a slightly bewildered Heero and Quatre behind to muddle after him.

What he found was discouraging to say the least, and just a bit heart wrenching. One will eventually find what they search for, so Wufei's first evidence of Meiran's fate were the signs of a scuffle that suddenly opened before his seeking eyes.

Moving into the slight clearing, he looked at the surrounding terrain, and realized that his thoughts had proven true. This place was perfect for conducting an ambush, for the brush was higher here, and rather easy for a man of goodly size to hide himself in. Not to mention that visibility past said brush was nearly zero.

It was with a sinking heart that the sword's master came to terms with the facts.

Meiran was captured. Duo was captured. If by one and the same, there was no telling. He only knew that the people close to him were suddenly being taken away, and it left a gaping hole where his heart had been, for he'd failed each of them.

A sudden flare of anger entered him then, and his search was renewed again as Quatre and Heero came upon him.

Only this time, he searched for the tracks that would tell him where this rabble had taken the one person he might be able to love.

* * *

1. Gah...Wufei is pompous...but cute ^_^'

2. A score is twenty. ( Not to say that you don't know, but I always wondered about that when I would read it somewhere)

*drops dead* I swear, parents can be the most annoying of creatures, though one may love them dearly.

I sit here, munching the inspirational food that is YanYan, listening to A Perfect Circle, and trying to read past the blurry ass screen of the comp in my room.

Life's wonderful ^_^

I have been getting a great many reviews, including some from a few new readers, of which I love just as much as those who've managed to stick with me since the beginning. To all of you, I give my thanks. This couldn't be possible without you guys' support.

*hugs you all* I Wuv you!!!

And now for the traditional, yet subtly changed request for reviews.

Review; Review ((See? There's a semicolon in there *points it out* Let the world cherish differences!!!))


	29. Chapter 29

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5xM (Hey look...he's got someone now ^_^)

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 29

One rather short tempered Sword's master was now on the hunt for a score of ill fated men.

They could not have gotten, nor gone far in that short amount of time, and Wufei had every intention of catching up with them before something unspeakable befell Meiran. 

Both Heero and Quatre were just behind him, the soldier as stealthy as the man he followed, the little mage light enough on his feet to not be noticed.

The tracks in the snow were all but obvious. The men had not even bothered to _try_ and conceal their steps. What ever thoughts ran through their heathen minds, the sword's master was sure that they did not expect to be followed so soon by a vengeful master of the Ni Batou Ryo. His cool anger left only enough room in his head for worry over the health of the warrior maiden, and the urgency in his silent step made that just as clear as his anger.

It took a mere candlemark of following to come suddenly upon the outskirts of a large camp. Far larger than had first been surmised by all in the small group. 

A large circle of rather shabby tents made a disheveled ring about a larger, newer seeming tent in the center of the camp. It was apparently the current residence of the leader of this rabble. A number of men were about, some sitting around fires, laughing, others cooking, and others sharpening a menagerie of weaponry probably stolen a piece at a time. All in all, between thirty to forty men, a number doubling the first conjecture of the sword's master.

Wufei cursed under his breath as he crouched past the line of trees, shadowed by the low boughs. Heero kneeled beside him, cobalt eyes sharply taking in the scene that lay before them. As the one inexperienced in such matters, Quatre fell behind the both of them, simply worrying about the state of everyone who was missing from what had so short a time earlier been a full traveling group. They were dwindling down to nothing.

Things were going to get far worse before they would get better though. With Duo in Sarkan's hands, there was nothing to stop the sorcerer from performing his summoning ritual on the eve of the winter solstice...and that was a bare four days away. Everything that could go wrong was doing so, and it was preventing them from their ultimate goal.

Now, Meiran had been taken captive by some rabble band of raiders, and they didn't yet know if she lived, though it was all too possible that she was dragged back to this camp to be...used. It was such a fate they wished to save her from. Things were all too quickly spiraling out of anyone's control save for the sorcerer's. He was playing them like pieces on a chess board. 

And he was winning.

__

Trowa...gods I miss you....

...

Their plan was thought up as quickly as it was to be pulled off.

At a group signal, Heero would take control of every fire kindled in the camp, and start a few new ones for good measure. He would be a key part. While his flames were attacking those that sat passively around the currently subdued fires, Wufei would sweep through with his swords towards the center tent. Their guess, which couldn't be too far off, was that if Meiran was anywhere within the camp, she would be inside that main tent.

Speed and surprise would be their biggest advantage here, for the guards about the camp were slovenly in any sort of watch they kept. It was doubted that they would be able to call the alarm before the entire camp was ablaze.

Taking firm control of the fire, for he did not want to set the center tent aflame, nor catch Wufei, Heero settled cross-legged near the covered base of a low branched tree with Quatre watching him. The soldier would need more concentration than he could get while fighting to control all of the separate fires that were to be at his disposal. 

If Quatre necessarily had to, the little mage could cast to protect the both of them while Heero was otherwise occupied, but he was on explicit orders from their leader to not use his magic unless vital to their survival. He had every intention of following those orders, but if one of his comrades was in mortal danger, he would not hesitate to put his life on the line for even one of them.

Wufei had moved to separate himself from the two, lest the direction of his appearance be questioned and searched. From a quarter of the distance around the large camp, he readied himself, both blades already in hand, and gave the signal.

A piercing whistle went up from the outskirts of the camp, and nearly everyone in the camp stopped at the same time to look in the direction from which it had come. What they saw was the not so horrifying image of a single man brandishing twin swords dashing their way. However, a scream went up suddenly as the fires they'd only moments before been sitting around blazed to sudden animated life, forming into blazing creatures of liquid fire that began at once to attack those around them with snaking, burning tentacles.

That was when mass hysteria took over, and no one bothered about the single intruder that flashed past, blades sinking into those not caught by the fire wyrms.

Wufei practically flew towards the center tent. Different from the sounds of agony and death around him, was the bellow of heated anger that suddenly escaped from the fabric shuttering the inside of the tent. Before Wufei even reached the cloth structure, a man stumbled backwards out of the opening, tripping over the various pieces of armor and cloth bundled just outside the flaps.

Before he could see more, someone took note of the sword master's arrival, and turned his blade on the only normal foe the band faced. 

The sword swinging towards him was blocked automatically, the attacker's weapon clanging away uselessly as Wufei drove in, now on the attack himself. One of his swords sliced into the man attacking him, sliding through the gap between his ribs to catch at the vulnerable innards, the man letting loose a horrible wail of agony before collapsing into a shuddering, howling heap as Wufei pulled his sword from the lacerated gut. He moved on without a second thought, now being attacked by more of those who would rather face a real opponent than those wrought by fire demons.

However, before he was put on the offensive again, he spied that which had made the leader of the raiders stumble so fast from his tent.

There stood Meiran, sword in hand, bearing down on the man with a single minded viciousness that spoke of more than words could tell. Her clothes were ripped, not so much as to be indecent, as it seems the man had not quite gotten that far before the warrior maiden again had the upper hand.

The ghost of a smile traced the sword master's lips at her actions, then he turned his attention back to those now surrounding him, the thought that the warrior maiden could now take care with the dispatching of the leader herself, her abilities far above what was needed for such an undertaking. 

And the dance once more began.

Swords weaving as if in illusion, Wufei lost himself to the all consuming style of swordsmanship he'd mastered in record time. His mind blanked, thinking of only the strike, and counter; the block and blow of each sword against his own. If one did not understand how he could read every little movement in reference to the next attack, one would have thought that he was predicting his opponents' movements in time to react to them.

Normally, nothing would have been able to break him of this concentration save for the death or maiming of all the opponents he faced, but something did now, throwing him so off, he actually stumbled forward, barely catching the next attack on a backwards thrown block.

Eyes darting around, he saw what had so distracted him, and it made his blood boil.

Again looking towards where Meiran had so earlier held the upper hand, he ground his jaw at the sight of her knocked bodily to the ground by an attack from behind performed by one of the leader's bodyguards. The sword was already gone from her hand, and a sharp crack of a whip held by the guard presented an answer as to how the weapon had been wrested from her. She had cried out involuntarily as she'd hit the ground, which had so broken Wufei's concentration, and now the guard advanced on her with the whip. She struggled to her feet, holding her side as if in pain. 

Wufei's vision was blocked by yet another opponent, and he charged to with a will. Only now, he would not be able to quite reach the same plane of thinking as he normally did. He was furious, and being so made him unthinking when he moved. He became, for lack of a better word, reckless.

Each dodge and block was now done with no room to spare, as a few more hardy souls joined in the fight against him. His movements were no less quick, or successful in drawing blood and death, but there was a difference. A slight difference that would not have mattered at any other time.

But he let it go too far.

Nearly clear of opponents, Wufei suddenly felt the cold metal of a blade slice across his side, digging deep, and letting loose a hot flow of blood that had him staggering with pain and astonishment. It was with a disgusted snarl that he finished off his last two opponents, giving a grunt as the moves were accomplished. 

The world was beginning to spin and tilt even as he took a few steps forward towards the distant skirmish which was starting to look farther and farther away. The noise around him eventually died until he heard nothing, though he still saw men being burned alive, and running for their lives. It was odd, seeing everything start to slow down.

His hand went to his side, and came back up to his darkening eyes covered with red.

Looking ahead, he saw Meiran again. It was only a few steps he needed to take to aid her, but it looked so far away. He staggered forward, towards the back of the guard plying the whip. 

He was lucky that the bodyguard did not see him until it was too late, and Wufei used the last of his strength to gracelessly shove one of his blades -somewhere, he'd dropped the other one, for his hand was empty- into the bodyguard's gut, wrenching it back out with a gasp as the heat of before was replacing with a numbing cold that spread from his side, across his body, and up.

Another step forward, and he fell to his knees, the world narrowing and growing darker until there was only a small tunnel of light with which to see. He didn't feel it when he fell fully to the ground, only suddenly surprised at the dirt he tasted in his mouth.

His lids grew heavy, but he was awake long enough to have the sky replace his close-up view of the ground as someone turned him over. Meiran's face came into view then, tears spilling from her eyes as she saw the state he was in.

__

Why are you crying? He thought dully. _I receive the honorable death of a warrior, and I have saved you. You should be happy. _

So why are you crying?

Slowly, he reached his hand upwards towards her soft face now awash with salty tears. Bloodied fingers nearly brushing against her skin, darkness took him before he could complete the move, and his hand fell limp at his side.

...

The screams of the dying lifted into the air on the wings of the wind, and Heero opened cobalt eyes to the damage he'd wrought without lifting a finger.

Of course, he'd been seeing it all along through the eyes of his fire wyrms, but that was an odd, distorted view of the world at best. Now, as he pushed himself slowly to his feet, he saw the camp in a blaze of fire and blood. Quatre was at his side, silent and pale. Yet there was an odd sort of determination to the set of his small face. 

The both of them moved forward, and Heero began to ease back the flames before them. Any men that yet lived were left to pick up their own dead, and to save their own hides. Neither of them made any move to help.

Quatre was the one to first spot the tragedy that lay ahead, and with a small cry, he dashed forward to the pair lying on the ground, either dead or unconscious it could not yet be told.

Heero kneeled next to them, checking both.

It was with a slight sigh of relief that he discovered both to still be alive. 

Wufei's pulse was strong and steady, a mystery because he looked to be sorely wounded, what with the amount of blood on him. Meiran's pulse was weaker, and thready, but seemed to be gaining strength even as they watched.

Figuring that it would be better to not move them just yet, Quatre went about checking for visible wounds, while Heero kept watch over the three of them, easily able to defend against anyone deciding they'd rather end up as a pile of ash.

Though there was evidence of a long slicing cut along Wufei's side -even the leather he wore had been scored deeply through- there was not even a mark marring the bronzed skin beneath. In fact, there was not a cut or scratch on him. Anywhere.

Puzzled, the little mage turned to Meiran, who was even now regaining more of her color.

Though there was no outward evidence of her having more than the smallest of cuts, blood welled up from beneath the thick tunic on her side. Slicing through the cloth with a small dagger, Quatre was again surprised, because he found a deep sword cut letting her life blood out at a dangerous rate. Yet even as he watched, the blood flow slowed, and stopped. The raw wound began to close, the ragged edges sealing together, and within a few minutes, there was nothing left to tell that there had ever been w wound save for the blood staining her clothes and skin.

Quatre took a deep breath, letting it all out at once with a puff. This was some sort of magic, he knew, but it didn't seem to be the kind worked with spells and potions. More like natural powers. Inherited from Meiran's lineage perhaps...though exactly what that was, he wasn't quite sure anymore.

"What's their conditions?" Heero suddenly spoke up from behind him, causing him to jump slightly. Turning, the blond met the soldier's eyes with his own aquamarine gaze.

"They're both...fine" He said after a moment's hesitation.

Heero blinked, and stepped over to look with his own eyes.

"Gods..." He murmured.

...

A night and half a day was how long Duo lay in his cell, at one moment experiencing a burning, ceaseless pain, the next a numbing shock of cold that had his senses reeling with more pain.

He was beginning to loose it, and he could tell, even through the haze his mind had been enveloped by. He was shaking horribly, unable to sleep, unable to even sit up. Movement brought pain, and not moving brought more.

Then it ended, so suddenly that he didn't even notice for quite a time. His shuddering convulsions eased gradually, and he began to see, and feel what was happening around him once more.

He was lying on the small cot -how the hell had he gotten there?- and someone was moving in the semi-darkness afforded by the sunlight streaming down from the tunnel opening.

"..W...who's..there?" He whispered, swallowing as he felt the dry harsh rasp of his own voice.

A surprisingly cheerful looking face and figure came into his view.

A young man of middling age, with short, choppy brown hair, and the deepest brown eyes strode over to bend over the braided youth.

He would have been unremarkable save for two things.

The wildcat styled black markings than ran over every visible bit of skin, including his face in a rather beautiful pattern, and the twin feline ears that peeked out from the thick brown hair, twitching back and forth to catch every sound seemingly of their own accord, also patterned to match the young man's skin.

"How ya doing?" He asked jovially, flashing a smile, slightly elongated canines just visible.

"The name's Solo."

-----------------------------------

Weee! I churned out this chapter much faster then the previous...what, four chapters? 

I just got a urge to write, and there it is, all pretty and nice, and readable ^_^

Ooooh...just a few more days until shit hits the fan. Excuse the French.

Hope you guys are still enjoying this.

Ciao

-Hseru

Review; Review!!!!?


	30. Chapter 30

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai 1x2 3x4 5xM

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

---------------------------------------------------

Chapter 30

The young feline's ears twitched forward in slight agitation as he didn't get an answer from the braided youth. Or rather, Duo didn't say anything. At all.

"Oi, I know you can talk. I heard you say something just a few minutes ago." He said, swinging his arms slightly, and hooking his hands behind his back in an absurdly childish looking gesture, brown eyes glinting with that certain translucent glow that a cat's eyes did.

Swallowing again, Duo was able to make his voice presentable when he next opened his mouth to speak.

"What are you doing here?" Came the less harsh vocals from his abused cords.

"See? Told ya you could do it." The feline said jovially, with a quirk of a smile. He seemed to be blissfully unaware of where they were, or what had transpired.

The feline youth, Solo, he'd said his name was, walked the short distance to take a seat perched lithely on the edge of the cot. Those ears of his seemed to never stop twitching and moving, appearing to pick up sounds that weren't obviously evident to Duo. It was a bit unnerving to watch, but all too similar to the animal this youth was apparently mixed with. Perhaps he was Fae? That would explain it too easily though, so Duo remained laying where he was, uncertain violet eyes on the feline youth.

"Come now, can't ye even tell me your name?" The youth persisted, and now Duo heard the obvious lilt that spoke of older cultures, called Gaelic by some. It was soft, but it was there nevertheless.  
"…It's …Duo" He replied after a moment of unease, where all he saw was the translucence of those lively brown eyes flickering in an otherworldly way in the dim light of day that somehow managed to find its way down the ventilation shaft.

"Well then, Duo, glad to meet ye" The feline said, offering his right hand forward in the oldest sign of greeting. Hesitantly, Duo reached forward, noting in an offhanded sort of way that the hand he clasped lightly was not furred, but warm, and all too human feeling.

It was then that Duo remembered the manacles, as if they could have been forgotten, and that their absence was what had released him from the pain of Sarkan's magic. His glance aimed towards Solo was now one of question, and he voiced that question on a slow tongue.

"Where are those…things …that were around my wrists?" He asked slowly.

Solo blinked, and then pointed to a spot near the bed. There they lay, the hated things, in a pile of cold, lifeless metal. They were linked to the collar. Which meant that they were made, especially for him.

"You looked uncomfortable, so I took them off. Would you like me to put them back on?" The feline posed, frowning slightly, as if he thought he might have done something wrong, and would not wish to be yelled at for it. He even went so far as to begin to retrieve the offending articles.

"No, for the love of all the gods, no." Duo said quickly. For some reason, this young …man… Had taken the things off, and despite how much he did not wish to be put under their influence again, Duo didn't think he had the strength to fight the feline should he decide to do just that.

Solo shrugged, and retook his position on the edge of the bed, an almost relieved smile adorning his charming features.

"Good. I don't really like them." He said all charm and smiles again.

"…Neither do I." Duo agreed his natural urge to respond and speak temporarily overcoming his unease. After all, he'd not _really_ spoken to anyone since….

His heart gripped as he remembered the last time he'd seen his friends, and traveling companions. It seemed so long ago, more than the handful of days they had been separated. It was almost like he could remember a lifetime spent in the confines of the dark fortress. It might well could have been.

And now, there was a chance that they could all be dead. That thought hit him hard, and he bit his lip to keep from breaking into tears before this stranger. He had to keep up that small hope, or else despair would weigh him down too far to care anymore. And he still needed to care, in order to survive and save the living earth.

Solo must not have noticed his inner struggle. Indeed, he didn't seem to notice much of anything. It was like talking to a well meaning ten year old in a much older body. He knew that there was someone here in discomfort, but did not have the capacity to get further into the situation.

How had he ended up like this? Or was this the way the young feline had always been?

Most importantly, why in all the nine hells was he in Sarkan's complex, not to bloody well mention Duo's own cell. As far as he knew, there were still guards at his door, with the big padlock tightly kept.

"How…did you get in here?" Duo asked then, a sudden thought coming to him.

Solo shrugged slightly.

"I'm allowed to go anywhere around here. The master lets me do what I want." Solos answered, smiling brightly. "I heard someone was here, so I came to visit." There was no deception in those brown eyes. The feline was actually telling the truth. Duo now highly doubted his ability to tell a lie in the first place. Solo just seemed too innocent to think about such, much less carry through with it convincingly.

"Listen, Solo…" Duo began slowly. "Do you think that you could do something for me?"

Solo blinked at him, then smiled, and nodded. Anything to please, it seemed.

"Could you bring me some sort of…weapon?" He continued. There was no telling where this would lead.

Solo seemed to ponder the question for a minute, then with sad eyes, he shook his head, ears slightly back in apology.

"I'm not allowed to carry weapons. The master thinks I might hurt myself." He answered, and Duo's plan flew to pieces. Well, maybe there was something else that Solo could work with.

The feline suddenly brightened, as if he'd just thought of a wonderful idea.

"I know where the weapons are, though. I can show you where." He said happily. Duo looked at him, just a slight bit puzzled, and maybe just a bit annoyed.

"I doubt that they would let me leave the cell to go and look for the weaponry room." Duo said, voice heavy with sarcasm, and just a little defeat.

"Maybe they would let you out for a little while if you promised to come back." Solo then suggested, all smiles. He'd not gotten the concept of Duo's sarcasm.

Despite the current situation, Solo's absurd idea had the effect of bringing the smallest of smiles to Duo's face, the first there in some time. True, it was filled with exasperation, but still, it was there.

He couldn't go further with this line of thought that involved using the young feline. Duo would not have been able to stand it if the naïve little feline got in trouble with Sarkan for Duo's coercing him into helping the braided youth.

Maybe something would come up that had not before….

He had no other real choice at the moment, save for waiting, and building back up his strength.

There was no telling how much longer it would be until the new moon rode the night sky at the winter solstice.

…

It was a day's hard ride away that one perfect soldier and one little mage nursed their two fallen comrades back to health. They were running dangerously low on time. There was a total of three days before the Winter Solstice came to its peak at midnight. If they weren't there to stop Sarkan, then death would cover the face of their world in a thick, choking blanket of malevolence.

After the fight with the raiders, they had withdrawn some distance away from the scene of carnage. If anything came looking for a meal of remains, then they did not wish to be close enough to attract predatory attention. Especially not with two fallen in their small party.

Meiran and Wufei mirrored each other in their unconscious conditions. Both had deep, even breathing, steady pulse, and no wounds. However, they both did not regain consciousness until the uneventful night had passed, and morning dawned crisp and cold on the four.

Heero and Quatre had both taken their turn at watch, switching four times in order to get a more evenly spaced sleep during the night.

Now, as the sun's welcome rays pierced through the copse of trees they had commandeered for the previous night, Heero's second watch ended on seeing Meiran begin to stir.

Coming over to the female warrior, Heero knelt next to her as her dark eyes opened. Slight confusion entered her eyes as she met his, and she sat up, apparently with little to no adverse effects remaining from the fight.

"How do you feel?" Heero asked anyway, watching for signs of shock. Meiran looked around as she mumbled a "fine…" Then, her eyes landed on the yet prostrate form of Wufei, and she abruptly stood, moving to his side with a worried look on her face. She remembered his near death.

Quatre, by this time, was waking as well, and upon seeing Meiran walking about, shot up himself, and went to her.

"Meiran… are you ok? What happened back there?" He asked in a breathless flurry of words.

The warrior maiden looked askance at the blond mage, then glanced back at Wufei.

"When I saw him go down, I couldn't just sit there and watch as he died…" She absently brushed some of the jet black hair from before his face, scowling even in sleep.

"As far back in my family as can be remembered, on the female side, we have the ability to absorb the wounds of others, and the heal them within our own bodies. As it is, we heal supernaturally fast, so we can absorb a lot of damage, and have it healed in moments. We, however, yet go through the pain and depletion of acquiring the wounds, so it drains us, as well as the one who took the original wound… sometimes more because of the advanced healing." She fell into silence, watching the sword master's even breathing.

"That's…amazing" Quatre said after a moment.

Heero was satisfied, as it solved the problem of what had happened, and moved away from the three to begin packing up camp. Her abilities would most definitely come in useful later. That is, if they made it in time.

Quatre talked with Meiran for just a little bit longer, learning that she had indeed been taken by surprise by a large number of the raiders. It had been a disgusting experience, but she had managed to get the upper hand when the boss had gotten the idea into his head to try and force himself upon her. Until that time, however, she'd been kept, tied, in a separate tent. All in all, it had been a very short captivity, but one that she did not wish to have repeated.

They were close to being ready to depart when Wufei finally came to. He was greeted by two anxious faces, and another as stoically worried as was unobtrusively possible. A half frown came to his features, and as he sat up, the proceedings of the following day and night were related to him in short order.

He was not as weak as was expected, and by the time they reached Sarkan's fortress, he would be hale again.

Mounting up, the party set out on their 'merry way', heading towards a fortress that was closer than they thought, and a companion whose unknown doom was nearer at hand. A deep sense of foreboding fell upon the group as they continued on through an uneventful day. It was during the morning time that Quatre had felt the easing of the pain which had stayed constantly in his chest for some time. He didn't know if that was good, or bad. They'd just have to see.

Traveling until dusk, they set up camp, and had an uneventful night, each taking a turn at watch, though Meiran and Wufei's were not as long as the other two, much to their disgruntled annoyance at such hen pecking. The next morning dawned early, and they made a quick breakfast, their rations beginning to grow low because they'd not stopped to supplement it with wild game.

It was close to noon of that day that they began to see signs of drawing near to the Keep. The evergreen trees began to thin gradually, and wagon tracks, as well as those of large groups of horses began to cross their own trek, the snow on the ground having thinned through the day to nothing more than the barest of covering. Heero called the halt.

They backtracked to a thicker part of the forest, where they could no longer see any of the tracks, and set a carefully hidden camp there, absent of a fire. Heero went out again on Shiroi as the others worked on a fire-less meal.

Riding as far as the trees would hide Shiroi's blazing white coat, He then slipped from the saddle, and moved further forward on foot, instructing the Illian to stay put while he did a bit of reconnaissance.

The Fortress was exactly as Phenris had showed them. Barren, and of a malevolent black that seemed to suck at the very heavens. The sun yet rode high in the sky, and yet, the fortress was cast in shadow, such was the darkness that hung about it.

He watched the workings of the fortress for the greater part of that day's end, memorizing the outer structure, and getting a general idea of the lay of the land about the place, until the sun began to sink below the line of the mountains, and the already limited light began to fade.

As he made his way silently back to where Shiroi was waiting patiently, munching on some sparse grass he'd found, he began to formulate a plan for getting in. Well, a couple of plans actually, but they would be better sorted with the others' input.

For now, they would wait the night, coming back periodically to see if anything changed.

…

Solo stayed with Duo, trying to strike up a lively conversation for just about the rest of the day. The next day saw the feline youth visiting him again, coming in with his food this time. The fare was noticeably better than it had been, and Duo wondered just what Solo's place in the fortress was. The feline youth tried to get him to play a game, but Duo wasn't up to more than just talking. So, periodically finding a new place to perch, Solo talked, and Duo talked in turn, about a great many things that were as innocent as Duo could make them.

It wasn't until early on the third day that things had transpired such that the approach of someone other than a guard was noted, and Solo jumped up from the cot where he'd currently been perched like he'd been shot, taking a few steps from Duo as the door was unbarred, and opened.

Sarkan entered then, blonde hair bound at his neck, black-blue eyes widening in the slightest show of surprise as he saw the feline youth with the dragon. His clothes were more modest than Duo had seen him wear before, a simple black shirt, and tight black breeches tucked into calf high leather boots trimmed in silver.

Solo executed a low bow, coming back up with a smile.

"Good evening Master! I do hope your day went well." The feline youth said, beaming.

It was with the highest amount of shock, though he tried to hide it, that Duo saw a gentle affection enter into the sorcerer's dark eyes, and that soft mouth, so cruel before, held an easy smile that could have spoken of so much more than Duo wanted to think the sorcerer capable of.

"It did, Solo. I wonder though, what you are doing down here." He said, a slightly reproachful tone to his voice that had Solo's ears flat against his head.

"I'm sorry master…I was just talking to him. He looked so sad and uncomfortable that I wanted to try and cheer him up." Solo said in a voice that was a tone lower than before, afraid that he was angry.

Sarkan, of all things, shook his head ruefully, holding out a hand to the feline youth. Solo's ears perked up, and he practically jumped forward to take hold of the sorcerer's hand, and lift it upwards so he could rub the back of it to the side of his face, much like the domesticated cat does to someone it wants attention or a good petting from.

Sarkan's eyes still held that gentle affection, and he moved his hand to ruffle the lad's short brown hair, much to Solo's joy.

"Now, run along and play somewhere else Solo. I have some business to attend to here." The sorcerer said softly, directing the youth to the door. Solo waved at Duo before scampering off through the door, and down the hall to Gods only knew where.

Duo couldn't but help the look of incredulity upon his face as the feline youth left. What the hell had he just seen? What game was Sarkan playing at with the feline youth?

As the sorcerer turned to face him again, he could not remove the look in time, and Sarkan gazed full upon his disbelief.

It brought that twisted smile back to the sorcerer's features, though it was slightly more abated than before.

"What the hell did you do to him?" Duo said before he could think about it.

"Do? I did nothing to him, save for raise him." Sarkan replied, placing his hands behind his back, and clasping them there loosely. It was similar in gesture to the action Solo had first made.

"Does it shock you? I would imagine so, seeing as you hold me in the same respect as, say, a murderer who rapes women and children for their own pleasure. However, I do feel, and love. It is merely that what I do, I do for _my_ master, as Solo would do anything for me." The speech had nothing to do with trying to justify himself. He had all the justification he needed, in his own eyes.

"You realize, that in releasing your 'master' that you'll kill Solo as well?" Duo spat out, incensed to a short-lived point of not thinking clearly.

"So it will be, but so it must. There is nothing for it, save for that I treat him as well as I may." Was Sarkan's reply.

"Now, despite Solo's softhearted actions, I have come up with a use for you." He continued in a conversational tone. He snapped his fingers, and four guards entered the room to seize hold of the braided youth before he could resist. That is, if he'd possessed the strength to do so.

"Come, I'll show you your special new room." And then Sarkan left, followed by the guards carrying Duo.

Trying to see and remember where they were going, the braided youth was eventually lost again in the labyrinth beneath the black fortress, unable to discern even which direction was which out of the four poles.

They came to a large room that was startling bright in its lighting, mainly because of the fact that magefire was wreathed about the ceiling and walls, alive, and yet not, as most fire was.

All around the floor, glowing marks were etched into the stone underfoot, inscribing a series of circles. Muttering something beneath his breath, Sarkan then motioned the guards forward, and they carried Duo to the very center of the room, then dumped him unceremoniously there, within the marked circles.

Pulling himself to his feet, the guards left then, and suddenly the room was empty save for Sarkan and himself. What was going on?

"Now, I'm going to tell you what I plan to use you for." Sarkan said, hands again clasped behind his back.

"Because you are the living form of Shinigami's soul, you therefore hold a great power yourself, when in conjunction to the dragon. As it is, I already plan to use Shinigami's life force to open the portal, but I believe, that by tempering you, I might be able to pull more power from the beast, which would be optional for my needs." All of this was still in that conversational tone that ate steadily at Duo's control.

It was with a sudden destructive need that the braided youth launched himself towards the sorcerer, intent obvious, but was stopped painfully and suddenly by some kind of barrier that sent a painful current of energy through him. Dazed, Duo fell back, hitting the stone floor painfully.

Sarkan laughed, not a pleasant sound.

"Did you think it would be that easy? This entire room is spell protected, and tied to the collar you wear. There is no getting out unless I say so." A smirk came to the sorcerer's lips then.

"Plus, I can do this…" Reaching out his right hand adorned with a single silver band about the middle finger, Sarkan made an upwards motion, then brought his other hand to meet it, fingertips touching. Closing his hands into fists, he then began a slow pulling motion between the two, separating his hands, ever so slowly.

It was then that Duo's world dissolved.

His eyes went dark immediately from the so sudden pain the flared to life within him. A thousand knives buried deep, molten lava coursing through his veins, being flayed alive; every nerve was aflame with an excruciating agony that ate at him, and tore through him like a wild beast starved past recognition and tempted every day by a tantalizing piece of meat held just out of reach. Voices screamed in his mind, a million voices speaking of their own soul shattering agony, added to his own. He could not control his body, could not feel the floor beneath him, couldn't breath, couldn't see. A lightless abyss that ripped him apart, piece by excruciating piece was his to live in. Now, and forever.

Dimly, as if on the barest edge of consciousness, a laugh was heard, and then a roaring so loud that it could burst eardrums. Strangely birdlike, this roar shuddered through the deepest parts of Duo, vibrating with his innermost core, there finding a home to roost.

And then, everything was gone.

…

Their plan had been laid a day earlier, and since then, they had observed the black fortress in hopes of seeing a time when they could come upon the huge place unnoticed from some angle, even if it be on foot. It was doubtful that they could ride in horsed, even if they apprehended a wagon and stole inside thusly.

The change of the guards was smooth, and routine, and there seemed to be no gaps in the Fortress's garrison. However, it was Quatre, who saw their opportunity. The little mage had accompanied the others, for all of their eyes were needed, especially if they wished to catch something that was unnoticed by most.

Regularly, groups of horsemen entered and left the well-guarded gates, and it was only with close inspection that it was noted, that the same groups never left and came back together. They always seemed to return in a mix that was different from whence they left.

So, the plan formed itself. They would simply back track, and join one of the incoming groups. Surely, everyone could not recognize the face of those who were constantly in the Fortress; it was simply too big for that to be so. Still, Heero had all too many misgivings about it, as did the others. There were too many holes where problems could occur. They might join a group who was counted, or get with those whom all recognized their comrades.

Despite this, there seemed no other way into the Fortress short of turning themselves in, in the hopes that they would be taken inside as captives.

Well, they could fight if it was required. Heero always had his fire, and the others could fight well with the weapons they had. It was really this, or nothing.

So, on the morning of the Winter Solstice, they set out to find one of the groups that patrolled outside the castle. They did not need to worry about their clothes, for there was no set uniform that they could discern among those who guarded the Keep, other than random bits of armor, so there really were no problems there. Meiran would have to be careful to keep herself unnoticed, as there were very few women evident in those who guarded, though a few were picked out by the group.

After a time, they finally found what they searched for, a large group of riders spread out, and scouring the area for intruders.

Using the hale they had seen others of the garrison use, Heero called to one of the riders, who immediately called one of his comrades, and cantered over.

"Who are you?" He asked brusquely, eyeing the four who were not immediately recognized.

"They're new recruits from my regiment, Lieutenant." Came a voice from behind them, and as they looked to see who had claimed them, it was all that Quatre could do to not run for and throw himself at the person who had so suddenly shown up.

"Ah, Kaelig. If they're from your regiment, I suggest you make sure they follow your orders, rather than gallivanting about in my search area." The Lieutenant replied to the familiar man, or perhaps, familiar elf, astride the unfamiliar steed.

Trowa, or perhaps it was Kaelig now, saluted briskly, then nodded to the four to follow him, which they did without a word.

When they were far enough away from the riders to not be seen or heard, it was with a glad cry that Quatre did just what his first want had been, leaping off his horse, and launching himself at the elf, who had also dismounted, sobbing his relief as they held each other.

The others stayed mounted, but it was with glad hearts that they watched, happy that one of their lost comrades was again found. Or, perhaps he had found them. Either way, it made the dark situation just a little lighter.

Trowa soothingly held Quatre as the mage began to calm down, and Heero nudged Shiroi forward.

"How did you plant yourself into their ranks?" He asked, yet aware that the clock was ticking down.

Trowa looked over at him.

"There are many things that elves are capable of. It was a simple process of getting inside, and taking the place of a new recruit that many did not know the face of." He replied. "I took on his name, and eventually, his title. I made sure that I was always in the group that patrolled the area, as I knew that you would be trying to get in to get to Duo."

At the sound of his name, Heero's heart did a little flip.

"So he is here?" He asked, and the elf nodded his reply.

"He's held in a room far below ground. Sarkan's taking no chances that he'll get away again. However, because the ceremony takes place tonight, he is to be moved to another chamber. From then, the ceremony will be held in the courtyard, and there will be our only opportunity to stop Sarkan." The elf sounded like he'd been doing some research, which was probably the case.

"Come, and I'll get you inside the Keep. From there, we can better plan a search for Duo, and a way to get him out of there."

Nodding their agreement, everyone mounted up again, and headed at a fast canter towards the black fortress. They came in contact with a few more men, but of those they met, some saluted Trowa, and others simply ignored him, as he was of a lower rank.

They finally broke through the trees, merging with the main path leading up to the main gate.

That was when the deafening cry arced across the heavens. It was there, suddenly, a black on black creature in the sky, winging over the small party of comrades as they rode towards the Fortress. Bellowing a shriek that almost split eardrums, the thunderous wing beats drove air down on everything beneath the flying monstrosity.

This was Shinigami. Their first look at the oldest creature in existence, an ebon mass of steel corded muscle and sinew, great leathery pinions wheeling the beast about as if it where nothing more than a dragonfly on the wing. The long, snakelike body was topped by a head that looked huge, even so far away, with jaws that could hold a man standing fully upright, and blazing crystalline eyes that glowed even in the bright light of the sun that was past its midday heights. A glittering wave of spiked hair rode, like a mane, about the beast's head, and down it's ridged back, long, sharp barbs thrusting dangerously into the air all the way down the dragon's long spine. The long, serpentine tail ended in a cudgel-like mass of spikes that could toss a horse with a blow, or just as easily spear it.

Ebony claws were sheathed on each toe, massively powerful hind legs rearing forward, as if it were about to land atop the fortress, long, powerful forearms reaching.

And then, Shinigami let loose with another feral roar, this one filled with anger. It back winged those vast leathery pinions, sending a hurricane of air down onto the garrison, knocking men flat on their backs and generally causing an uproar.

Then, a great searing gout of dark flames were suddenly released from the dragon's cavernous mouth, thundering down onto the fortress, only to be deflected by a magic field. Awe filled everyone watching. Sarkan was powerful enough to avert a direct attack from the beast? It was impossible that such fury could be turned aside by a mere mortal.

The dragon released another ball of flame downwards, to be cut short again before it reached the Garrison huddling in terror below.

A sudden gasp of pain tore from Quatre's throat as the feeling of something clawing its way about his heart had him leaning over in the saddle, grasping tight hold of his chest for fear that his heart would be torn from him.

He put two and two together, and suddenly things became clear to him about what was happening.

Shinigami and Duo were one and the same. If Sarkan had Duo, he had control of Shinigami, despite how it looked now. The dragon's rage-driven flames could not penetrate the barrier, because Sarkan had tapped into Duo's connection to Shinigami. This pain was nothing to what Duo would be feeling now, as his other half attacked his own soul, weakening the both of them in the process.

Indeed, the dragon drew one more breath, as if to launch another attack, and suddenly, began to falter, as if it no longer had the strength to keep its great wings in motion. It fell then, loosing it's almost magickal airborne abilities in one fell swoop.

The ebon dragon crashed into the barrier, then through into the courtyard of the Fortress. Despite the dragon's size, he was dwarfed slightly by the sheer size of the fortress, which they all realized now, had been built for this reason, and this reason alone. There was no other way to explain why the building was so big, with such an expansive courtyard. It was meant to house a dragon, used to open a portal to the demon realm in order for a true monster to come through, and lay thickly a pallor on the land that meant death.

And they rode onwards, now trying to beat the onward swinging strokes of the pendulum of Time.

--------------------------------------------

Back with a bang, as they say. It took me these long months to finally figure out just how I wanted this to end, and now, I have it.

It's going to be beautiful…

I sped things up in this super-extended update chapter, and I'd like to know whether or not it works. I figured that I had drawn this one out long enough. It needs to be finished, so that I can lay it to rest, and begin anew.

I much appreciate all of the reviews I have gotten on this piece. I noticed that people kept reviewing, even months after my last update. It makes me glad that sometimes, people just search for things to read. They'll come across my fic, and perhaps be amazed. Or maybe just disgusted, as their tendencies go.

Now, coming soon, the amazing and unexpected ending to Eclipse of Dusk. I should be able to wrap it up in one more super-long chapter. Or, maybe I'll just keep writing. Depends on how the ending goes.

I hope you enjoy this fic as much as I do writing it. I went through and re-read the thing in its entirety, and was filled with the urge to finish, which ended up being the inspiration for this chapter, done in a single day, over a period of about seven to eight hours of 'diligent' work.

I also believe that my style of writing changed since the beginning, and I've had others tell me the same. I would hope that it is a change for the better, as this is a profession I intend to pursue.

Enough of my blather. Enjoy the story, and if you feel the need, give me a review that says how annoyed you, my loyal readers, are to have had such a long wait.

Apologies.

-Hseru


	31. Chapter 31

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai 1x2 3x4 5xM

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

I was informed that there was a bit of confusion concerning the collar. Solo didn't take it off. He doesn't have the power to do that, but the manacles were never meant to stay on for the same amount of time as the collar, so I would hazard that they had no lock, but a catch that Duo would not have been able to release himself, due to the pain he was in. So, the manacles were the only pieces Solo actually removed. I neglected to mention that fact, and do now apologize.

Maybe I should get a beta reader if I decide to write another story of this length. Even reading the entire thing over again, I missed a few things that I'm hard put to go back and fix. --'

Oh well. Either way, I know the mistakes I made, and will be able to fix them in future endeavors.

Chapter 31

Despite the sudden and most certainly startling appearance of Shinigami, the now five were riding at a good pace towards the castle. The three normal horses had shied away in stark terror at the initial sight and voicing of the ebon creature, and now their three riders were having difficulty keeping control of the wildly panicking mounts. They kept trying to take their own lead and head away from what could possibly be the largest predator in existence.

The two Illians had been startled just as much, but their fear was now evident only in the wild rolling of their eyes, the white showing periodically. Their two riders had a much easier time of calming and reassuring the intelligent steeds, all the while listening to their own comforting words in an attempt to give themselves the same kind of reassurance.

It would have been pure idiocy to not tremble before that awesome power.

The Fortress was in a state of distress when they reached the gate. The guards were still there, but they looked shaken, and upon recognizing Trowa as one of their own, didn't question him further, and the small party was admitted into the fortress of their enemy without hardly a glance.

It was a blessing, but one that might end up being double-edged, cutting back in the form of what must be happening to Duo to cause Shinigami such grief.

As they entered into the Fortress, the unsettlingly monstrous bulk of the ebon dragon was suddenly so close, that riding forward another hundred paces would have put them within touching distance of the creature. The horses couldn't take the sight of the beast, not to mention the pure predatory smell of it. It's scent was a mix of smoke, sulfur, and something else that was most definitely wild, and meant to never be tamed. While the horses began to shake at the proximity, their human riders were entranced by the dragon.

It indeed, looked large enough to swallow a full sized horse whole. It had landed haphazardly into the courtyard, wings and limbs akimbo. The leathery skin that had only moments before been stretched taunt with the resistance of flight, was now draped about like so much thick silk, hanging loosely from the skeletal framework of those pinions, of which one looked like it had been damaged in the fall; the only part of the dragon's body frail enough for it to do so.

The great head was turned slightly towards them, great long horns like grim spires pointing to the sky. One of it's eyes was clearly seen, and appeared to be open only slightly. The brightness of before was dimmed, and only a faint reminder of what had once blazed in the onyx depths remained, a spark of violet that was yet deeper than the hue of most things that exhibited the same color. Even as they watched, a thin membrane slid over the black orb, followed by the thick outer lid, which firmly closed the creature's eyes, and formed a protection of the same impenetrable scales that covered the rest of its obsidian body. It was not dead, for the lungs of the creature, like great bellows, still made its chest move up and down in that rhythmic motion that came with either sleep or unconsciousness.

Despite their time giving out, it was finally Trowa who pulled them back together with a low "Come on. We have to hurry."

They all seemed to snap back to reality, and as they discreetly as possible made their way to the covered archway of the stables -a common place for those who had been on patrol outside to go first- a few brave souls were gathering others, and as more came, the whole of them began the process of trying to move the dragon's great bulk in any way possible, probably on orders to do such after the appearance of the beast.

Continuing the farce of belonging, the five proceeded to stable their horses, however they did not fully un-tack the steeds. If they needed a hasty escape, then they didn't want to be wasting time with saddling up.

After doing so, Trowa led them away from the courtyard, and into the main complex. He must have explored a great deal while being here, for he knew exactly where to go to further form their plans for getting Duo out, and stopping Sarkan. It was a small, long unused storage chamber that they eventually wound up in, and it had taken them a great deal of navigation to get there. The fortress was built like a maze. If not for Trowa, there was doubt that they would have been able to accomplish anything before it was too late.

The sun was far past it's zenith by this time, and the countdown was now in how many candle marks were left before midnight. Trowa could keep time with his elven senses, which would give them the opportunity they would need to move fast, and at the appropriate hour.

For the time being though, the most difficult part stood before them all.

The wait.

There was really no way that they could go up against Sarkan and all of his spells while he still stood within them and their protection. Their best chance would come when he entered the courtyard to draw the circle of summoning. The portal would open, using the enormous amount of life force that Shinigami possessed, and then the blood of a virgin would be spilled as a sacrifice to complete the bridge between the realms.

Quatre worked off of the knowledge that Trowa gave him to get a rough conjecture as to how Sarkan would proceed with the ritual. After all, Quatre was a Second Rank mage in a power hierarchy that was as difficult to come into as going from peasant to king. He was only a step below the most powerful and knowledgeable of his sect, so despite the link to the collar still tugging at him, he could still put that knowledge to good use.

Hopefully, with their combined abilities and skill, they would be able to overcome. Yet, the thought that their group was almost whole again was of little comfort as the day crept on, and dusk grew nigh.

To Heero, and indeed, everyone in the group, this waiting with baited breath was by far the worst in their long journey and many encounters. Knowing that one of their comrades was so close, and having unspeakable things done to him while they were helpless to save him, much less even reach him, was something that sat in one's heart, worming its way inside until a tight knot of guilt and self loathing formed. This helplessness was not something that Heero, for one, was used to. He had always been in control of any situation, simply because that was the kind of person that he was. If he could not take control of the situation, then he worked towards that until he could.

This was a situation where he could not take that control, and it was unnerving to him.

So many things could go wrong, and they were left with no time for mistakes…

…

Sarkan's hands were still shaking. By the gods, that beast was powerful. Even with the sorcerer's hold on the boy, and the dragon's soul, Shinigami had almost overcome his barrier. He would never admit that to anyone but himself, but it had given his system a shock. Now, he rested in one of his private chambers, having done with the boy for now.

It had been interesting to watch. The boy had fallen, obviously in more pain than he'd ever experienced at one time before. Indeed, most people never felt anything of the sort in their common lifetimes.

Well, lucky him.

Interestingly enough, after the dragon had been landed, the boy had gone comatose. Those violet eyes that matched perfectly the dragon's, now stared blankly at nothing. His mind was gone, and now all that was left was the body, and the spirit, yet captured within the boy. It had been a learning experience, for sure. No one in written history had ever tried something on this scale, so the sorcerer had placed a gamble on the connection between spirit and body, which had ended up paying off for him. Well, another aid had been the fact that some of Shinigami's essence was yet trapped within the crystal atop Sarkan's staff, which was at the physical center of all his circular workings in the fortress. It was the tool he had used to first ensnare the dragon, as the crystal was infused with bits of scale, and the truename of Shinigami.

It had come to him in a vision, the dragon's truename. With the truename, one could control anything. It was part of the underlying laws of magick. No, Shinigami was not the ebon dragon's true name, but simply part of it. Sarkan had a feeling that the knowledge had come to him from his master, but there was really no knowing. It had happened though, so he had used it to his advantage in order to carry out the ritual. Now, he had the dragon, his power source. Once he was done with the ritual, the dragon would be too drained to fight, and the boy would be dead.

See, Sarkan had come up with one more use for the violet eyed youth. Being who he was, and the fact that Sarkan had kept careful tabs on him for the greater part of his time free, the sorcerer knew that the boy had not felt the intimate touch of another.

Waste not, want not, as the old saying went.

Getting gracefully to his feet, the blonde sorcerer glanced towards his eastern facing window.

The sun was even then dipping below the horizon line, painting the sky in a slash of colors that ran from deep blue to purple, to orange and red. Even the sorcerer was hard put to not appreciate it. Well, he was a lover of beauty.

Despite his affection for Solo, the pretty feline youth would have taken the place as his sacrificial virgin in the end, if this opportunity had not come up. Solo would have done it willingly, Sarkan knew, but he had not wished to do it. It really stood as the only thing that his master had asked of him that he was not willing to carry out. So, the boy would take Solo's place, and the feline would stand by Sarkan's side as he brought about the dawning of a new world. The dawning that came after the eclipse of dusk.

He moved about his room, beginning to gather things. The time to prepare was now. If everything was to run smoothly, it needed to be ready ahead of time.

Changing into robes made of crushed velvet of the deepest crimson possible trimmed in black, Sarkan vacated the room in short time, having prepared both his mind and his body for the ritual to come.

It was going to get messy soon, he surmised, heading up the stairs that led to the courtyard that currently held the inert form of the great ebon dragon.

It was his first look at the beast from so close up. Even when he'd first ensnared the beast, Sarkan had done so from some distance, and immediately had sent the dragon on its way, its soul in the body of the boy left behind. Now, he did look, and look well. There was nothing as grand as Shinigami living on this plane of existence, that was for sure.

A grim smile, chilling to look upon crossed the blond sorcerer's features. There would soon be something in place of the great dragon though, and it would be all the grander because of the life Shinigami would sacrifice to bring Him forth.

The sun was gone from the sky, and the night colors ranged across the hemisphere in waves of darker blues and purples, fading into the night time sky. The new moon already shone it's blind, dark eye to the world, a reddish tinge to the edges of the illusory sphere, sometimes called the Hunter's moon because of such. It would take some time for it to climb to its appropriate place amongst the stars, but by then, all would be well and ready.

Sarkan gave the order to bring the unconscious boy up and into the courtyard.

…

The five were restless.

Of course, this was an understatement. Trowa had not yet said that the time was right, so the waiting continued. It was driving them insane, to say the least. Quatre could feel nothing of Duo save for that ever constant pull of the collar, which seemed to be growing ever so slightly. He did not reveal this to the others, as it would simply cause more worry, not to mention giving them all a reason to begin making rash decisions. That, they could not afford. Not when they were so close.

The eternal clock chimed onwards, tolling the end with mournful hue and cry. Each knell clapped deep within the farthest reaches of the soul, for it called to the most subtle purpose of life.

Death.

Quatre paced the floor like a caged animal. He had long ago given up on trying for the same peaceful demeanor that the others had adopted. He was just not that good at hiding his frustration. Instead, he had sought the comfort of Trowa's embrace for a time, only to leave that so cherished place to begin his pacing, which had occupied him from that time on.

Wufei sat upon a bale of old cloth, long since forgotten, and therefore musty with age and dry rot. He'd sat in that same position for the entirety of their time spent waiting, yet this was done only by letting himself go into that kind of meditation that he could pursue for hours upon end. Even now, his eyes were closed, arms folded as he sat with crossed legs atop the cloth. Of course, that was not to say that he wouldn't be up and ready to go at a moment's notice.

Heero simply sat on a wooden bench that was worn from use, and had apparently been put there with the intent to get rid of it later, yet again, had been forgotten. His arms were crossed as well, but his eyes were open, alert, and ready to send a piercing glare at anything that moved, including his four companions. Nothing was safe from the wrath that seethed within him now, and when that wrath finally found an object of focus, woe be unto that focus point.

Meiran sat near the meditating Wufei, at the moment chewing on her bottom lip. She was seated on the floor, leaning against one of the bales of cloth. She was unable, like Quatre, to hide her feelings as well as the others. She was frightened. Not really for herself, as much as for her newfound friends. She was now at a point where her emotions and feelings were beginning to confuse her. But, enough of that now, for they had things to do.

Another thing which bothered her though, was that she had never really apologized to Duo. He was not to blame for her brother's death. Something she had not shared with any of them was the fact that she had not been able to help her brother with her healing talent. There was something in the relation of blood that didn't allow it, and despite her best efforts, her brother had died anyway. So, needing someone to blame to keep from blaming herself, Meiran had latched onto Duo as the cause. Now, she knew that it wasn't true. She really had known it back then too, but when one doesn't wish to believe something, they convince themselves that something entirely different is the real truth.

Trowa was as stoic and silent as ever, propped up against one of the near walls, that single visible eye glittering with its own inner light. He was happy to be able to see his angel again, but Trowa was not one to really show happiness in a way that most people could tell. Only those who knew him would have been able to see the slight softness in his emerald gaze, to the lines of his mouth. Of course, it was a momentary thing, as they were about to go and risk everything for the sake of…well …everything. Perhaps there would be a time after. That was the hope now, for them all. Things might be bad now, but if they succeeded, then there would be the time after with which to be happy once again.

It was then that Trowa's inner alarm went off, and he could sense that the positions of the stars and darkened moon were near to their zenith. Sarkan would be on the move now, and so would they.

The elf stood, a silent signal that the time had come, and everyone else rose to their feet as well. Determination filled the faces of those who were comfortable with showing such, and for the others, an eerie calm settled over their features. They were ready.

After checking to see if the hall was clear, they moved out, again following Trowa through the maze which was the bowels of the Keep.

The time soon came for them to split into the two prearranged groups.

The plan was, to both find and free Duo, and to completely break Sarkan's hold over Shinigami. Well, in order to do that, Sarkan's staff had to be found, and broken. Doing that would not only disrupt every spell that the sorcerer had cast to guard himself, but also free the physical body of Shinigami so that the soul and body could be reunited.

Trowa and Quatre would be pulling off this very crucial part of their plan. The elf was the only one that would be able to get them there, and it was highly doubtful that anyone but Quatre would be able to get past the barriers and magickal defenses in order to get to the staff.

Trowa had given the others explicit directions earlier as to which way to go to end up once more in the courtyard, and the three others had memorized them to the word. It would be up to them to hold off Sarkan until Shinigami could be freed.

With a last going over of the entire plan, the five split ways, two and three. As Trowa and Quatre moved down the adjacent corridor and around the corner, the three moved down their own corridor, following the elf's carefully laid instructions.

The need to hide from approaching guards was rare; it seemed like there was no one left inside the place to hide from. Except for the occasional group, all heading in the same direction it was noted, they encountered no one. It was fortunate, but it also spoke of things coming to an apex.

The need for haste was crucial now, and they made it back into the stable area without mishap.

Giving a brief check of their mounts, they moved on, slipping into the courtyard, which was filled with what probably made up the entire garrison of the Fortress. Men shuffled about nervously, the clangor of armor on armor rising above the milling voices that were all too hushed for such a large crowd.

Of course, the large number of troops was flanked by an even larger ebon monster, and in the center of all this mass, a Dias had been raised. It stood on a platform that brought it over the heads of all those surrounding it, and upon this platform, stood a figure robed in wine and black, addressing those gathered.

"Now is the time for which we have all strived!" Sarkan said, his voice carrying easily over the quiet that grew like a stifling fog.

"The Master's time to arise is soon upon us, and those who have faithfully served Him shall be rewarded most richly!" At this, a shout began to rise up among the garrison, one full of hope, and wonder at just what kind of riches they would be given.

A small, grim smile grew across Sarkan's lips. They had no idea just what the Master had offered them. The glory of being those to first feel His wrath and fury, dieing in a blaze of His just retribution.

"Bring forth the Sacrifice." He then said, and again, a cheer rose up as a pale figure was carried up to the Dias with the aid of a wooden slate highly decorated and carved for the purpose, carried by two who had been given the honor of such. The figure was robed in pale blue, with ribbons woven into the long chestnut hair that snaked and lashed through the air, lifted by the breeze which had suddenly picked up, thin tendrils reaching out as if to exact revenge. There was no longer a collar, for it had been removed after the last 'session' where Shinigami had fallen, but they all knew who it was.

A gasp left Meiran's lips as she recognized the thin form that was to be used as Sarkan's sacrificial lamb.

"…Duo." She whispered, and turned alarmed eyes to her two companions.

Wufei was already moving forward, ready to fight them all, when a heavy hand came down on his shoulder. Turning to look back, he met Heero's smoldering cobalt eyes, and gave a brief nod.

Fire snapped to life about the soldier's thin frame, burning the very air about him as ringlets of crimson flame curled about his unruly hair. His eyes burned, and as he rose his hands into the air, some few in the back of the crowd began to notice them. Heero then closed his hands into tight fists, and is was like someone had landed a fireball into the very midst of the gathered garrison.

Men burst into flame, screaming as their flesh melted and their bones burned to ash. Some, died blessedly quick. Others suffered until the end. However, it was as if hell had risen up to give a sneak peek of just what lay in store for the wayward soul.

…

Quatre and Trowa were close to their goal. The center of Sarkan's spells was located at the center of the maze-like complex, created so that the sorcerer's weakest point was at his center, and therefore the most protected.

Of course, what with most of the guards in the courtyard awaiting their doom, the four or so that the two encountered were easily dealt with. The most difficult part would be for Quatre, who would have to work his way through the layers of spellwork that Sarkan had tied about his staff.

They finally came to what they searched for; the center of the complex. It was guarded by a few more guards before the great wooden door, who were once again, easily dispatched.

Now came the tricky part.

It was Quatre who walked in first now, instead of the elf. The door itself was not spell protected, which was a good thing. They would have a chance to look at just what was laid out before proceeding.

The room within was alight with magefire. It was wreathed about the ceiling, a cold blue in color, and the fire also gleamed from the runes inscribed about the walls and floor. Unbeknownst to them, it was this chamber which had stood as the model for the room which had been used to down the great Shinigami. The only real differences were the power put into each, and what stood at the center of this room. It was obviously a staff, but it was encased in a solid crystal that looked to have grown about it, which could have very well been the case. The crystal itself was inscribed as well, with smaller runes that held Words of power. Many of them, Quatre could recognize, but others he could not. More time and effort had gone into this than nearly anything the little mage had seen before.

The Words he could read there, he could easily counteract, but those he didn't know would end up being the problem areas.

Well, there was nothing for it save to have himself ready for anything. Easier said than done, but after a moment's thought, he stepped into the first ring of runes carved into the floor.

The spell here was nothing too difficult. It was, surprisingly enough, nothing more than a spell of deterring those who wished to get closer. Perhaps so that Sarkan wouldn't end up losing a few curious guards. Only those who knew what it was would be able to go against such a spell, and as such, it was nothing to Quatre.

The next ring of runes held a Word of power that he knew well, and could counteract with another. He would have to finish quickly. There was no telling whether or not the collar would take hold of him as he did this. He'd felt an increase in the pull, and it could have an increased ability to take hold as well. Again, there was nothing for it, save for him to go forward and hope for the best. If it caught him, the hope then was that he could finish before he died.

Speaking the Word to counteract the spell laid, he felt the twisting impact of magick against magick, and would have bet anything that Sarkan had felt it as well.

Indeed, it seemed the sorcerer had, for the spells which before were lined up so nicely to overcome, heaved forward, the invisible skein of magick wrapping itself about Quatre, and dragging him further into the circle of power.

With a cry, Trowa made an attempt at following, but was thrown backwards as a wave of clashing magick drove into him, billowing outwards from where Quatre struggled to overcome the spells which had attacked him. The elf was tossed violently against the wall like a rag doll, and slumped to the ground unconscious. Quatre did not see. Indeed, he could see nothing, nor hear more than the high pitched whine of power amidst the clash and clangor that resembled metal screeching against metal. His body and mind were pulled in so many painful directions at once, the little mage was overwhelmed with agony for a moment, before his strict training came back to him. One did not reach second class without having the experience of taming wild magick under their belt. So too, had Quatre gone through something that was similar to what he felt now. Now, as he had then, he pulled his thoughts back together, and uttered a Word of power. The pulling lessened some, and he was given more leeway to work. Slowly, almost painfully so, Quatre traced symbols through the air, positioning his hands as he did so. With a final muttered incantation, he released his spell into the knot-work of spells that had tangled around him.

A painful gasp was torn from him as one of the unknown runes twisted at him, getting through the shield he had woven. Unable to counteract it with the rune's known opposite, Quatre gasped out an arcane spell that forcefully launched his energy like a lance, straight to the heart of the spell. It hit home, and the rune's power weakened.

Quatre then opened his eyes, the first he'd done so since getting ensnared. His eyes found the heart; Sarkan's crystal atop his staff. The larger crystal which encased the staff was cracked, and the mage realized that he'd managed to strike close enough to cause such damage. Forming the same spell again, with a twist on the intonation that allowed him to further empower his energy lance, Quatre launched the spell towards the crack, bright light fissuring forth from the stone. The light bounced both from outside and within, blinding the mage with its brilliance. Yet, he could still see that he'd again scored a hit.

The brilliant crystal filled with his energy, and cracked fully open with an earsplitting, shattering noise, sending shrapnel flying outwards at ungodly speeds. Crystal shards sharp as razors sliced through Quatre, though he had managed the briefest of barriers before the larger shards hit home.

Now, bleeding from a dozen different cuts and slices, Quatre again formed that same spell. It began to drag at him now, the drain.

It was then that the collar took hold of him.

Correction, the spell on the collar took hold of him, but Quatre was pulled in nevertheless. His consciousness swirled down, blackness reaching up to claim him, his newly formed spell beginning to fizzle away.

"Quatre!"

The shout woke the little mage just enough. With his power rapidly being depleted, Quatre forced as much energy as was left in him into his last assault. Gathering his wits about him, the mage held back the blackness long enough to get it off, launching his final attack into the direct heart of the crystal atop Sarkan's staff.

The small crystal shattered into a thousand pieces, freeing the physical body of Shinigami, and destroying the sorcerer's power structure in one fell swoop. Quatre felt his release almost immediately.

With Sarkan's power broken, the spell on the collar was broken as well, and for the first time in months, Quatre felt like he was fully free from any ensnarement. Of course, he was now drained of energy, but without the collar dragging at his mind, he would build his energy back much quicker than before.

It was then that Quatre realized that the explosion of power released by the crystal had sent him flying backwards, and now he began to pick himself up off the floor, only to be helped to his feet from behind by very familiar hands. It was into the arms that those hands belonged to that he next found himself, held tightly by a very somber elf.

Looking up with bewildered eyes into Trowa's face, Quatre was astonished at actually see what he could only guess to be the beginning of tears sliding down the elf's cheeks. It was with a smile full of the relief he felt so fully, that Trowa held the smaller mage to him.

"Trowa…what…?" Quatre mumbled, yet not rejecting the comfort at the moment, and returning it with his own arms wrapped about the elf's slender waist.

"I thought that I had lost you for the second time….." Trowa whispered, placing a kiss to the crown of the mage's blond head.

"I'm never going to leave you again." The elf continued fervently. Finally, for the briefest of moments, he was able to really express just how much the smaller mage meant to him. It was a moment worth cherishing, but they still had work to do. However, it sent a wave of joy through the little mage's heart to realize that he really did mean that much to someone. It was a warm and fuzzy feeling that might never go away.

Parting only to place a chaste kiss upon the elf's lips, Quatre then took Trowa's hand, and led him to the door.

"The others are in the courtyard still. They're going to need our help. Sarkan's main power might have been broken, but he is still far from helpless." He said, bright aquamarine eyes glancing back at the elf trailing behind him. If anyone would know just how powerful the sorcerer was, then it would be Quatre. After all, he had seen a great deal of the sorcerer's power. And for some reason, the little mage had gotten the distinct feeling that Sarkan had been distracted.

Giving a nod, though he didn't know all that traveled through the little mage's mind, Trowa took the lead for them both, and the two of them rushed to the aid of their friends.

…

Said friends weren't doing too hot at that moment.

The initial chaos and confusion caused by Heero's fire bomb had died down almost too quickly, and now they were engaged in combat. Wufei had found his place amidst a circle of guards with drawn swords, a grim smile on his face as they began their attack.

Heero was back to back with Meiran, her sword flashing to protect his blind spots while he concentrated on keeping his fires lit and burning. Each time a charge was mustered, he sent waves of flame to burn away the retaliation, but he was beginning to tire. He'd never used his gift so virulently before, so he had known no boundaries. However, with waves of men coming on, he was beginning to realize that even he had his limits.

The garrison of Sarkan's fortress was some three hundred strong. Heero's initial attack had decimated a quarter of that number, but the rest had turned on them too quickly, and now they were slowly being backed into the corner. True, men died each minute that passed, but those minutes were beginning to cost Heero dearly in terms of energy.

Not to mention that they had not stopped Sarkan. The sorcerer had halted his ritual long enough to bark orders, but now he was again focused on his virgin sacrifice. They needed to reach that Dias before Duo was killed to bring forth Sarkan's demon master!

Though it looked like they weren't going to get the chance to even make it to the platform at the rate this battle was going.

However, the tide suddenly turned as something huge unexpectedly just appeared out of thin air from across the courtyard. Looking to be made of some tan colored stone, the huge humanoid creature had huge, ram-like horns curling out from its head, and scythe-like claws upon each swinging hand.  
"It's an earth summon." Heero said to no one in particular, light surprise coloring his voice, which Meiran caught as she slid her sword between the ribs of a guard who had somehow made it past the wall of flames behind them. Eviscerating the guard, she turned to look as well, as the earth summon tore into the flank of the amassed troops, throwing guards here and there, and slicing through their armor like butter. Blood ran thick, soon coating the scythes that the earth summon used to the best of its ability.

The press of men eased as many of them began to change the direction of their charge, half of them heading towards the elemental, and half away from it in a panic.

Wufei was able to join their little protected circle once again, bleeding in a few spots, but more or less ok. He was the one to spot the two at the other end of the courtyard, Trowa guarding Quatre as the mage controlled his magicks.

The three didn't know what had changed so that Quatre could use his magic again, but they were glad for it, that was sure. Quatre's next spell sent more men flying, as an explosion was set off right under the feet of the men directly between the three, and the Dias.

It effectively cleared their path to Sarkan, and Duo.

Taking their chance, Heero further cleared their path by blasting a line of fire from them to the platform, which they followed close on the heels of. They then came to the base of the Dias, right below where Sarkan worked his ritual, raising a blade into the air even as they reached it.

The blade plunged down, and Heero acted before he thought. A fire ball launched with inhuman speed towards Sarkan's unprotected back, the sorcerer noticing, but unable to do anything before it struck.

And from nowhere, Solo was there, putting himself between the projectile and his master, and the fireball struck the feline instead of the sorcerer, knocking the both of them over the Dias and onto the other side of the platform in a ball of flaming agony.

Quick as they could, the three climbed up the platform to the top, where their last comrade waited.

Duo was laid on the Dias, chestnut hair streaming about his pale features. The front of the sacrificial robe had been cut open, and into the bare flesh of his chest had been carved the arcane runes and summoning circle needed to bring forth Sarkan's master into this realm. He was still alive though. His unseeing eyes were half open and staring at nothing, and it tore at Heero's heart see him like that; so broken beyond repair. Gathering the long haired youth to him, Heero lifted Duo into his arms as if he weighed nothing, and turned to the others.

"Lets go…" He muttered, beginning the climb down.

An insane laughter filled the air before they made it down.

"You think that you've stopped Him!? He's here! And He will destroy this pathetic world and all that you hold dear!!" It was Sarkan. He yet lived, and they saw where he had fallen. He was burned, clothes ripped, bruises forming. The lifeless body in his arms was that of the feline, Solo, burned beyond recognition, but clasped within the sorcerer's grip like a lover. Sarkan's eyes were cast upwards, mouth open in gleeful laughter as lightening spiked through the clouds that had gathered overhead.

"He is here, and He will see you all dead!!" He screamed, and a shattering crack shook the very heavens as the rift between worlds was ripped open from the other side; the completed ritual, and life of the original sacrifice accepted.

Sarkan's master was coming into this world.

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Yay for updates

I do hope that I can break 300 reviews with this chapter. It's even longer than the previous one, and despite what I said in the last chapter, I doubt that one more chapter will finish it up. I'm seeing up to three more before I'm finished. I'm just bad at trying to write short I guess.

There were about three stopping points that I had eyed in Ch 31 that I skipped over and continued writing, so here is yet another super extended chapter for your reading pleasure.

Thanks to all of my readers and reviewers, you are my inspiration.

-Hseru


	32. Chapter 32

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai 1x2 3x4 5xM

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 32

The booming crack of thunder shook through everyone as lightning arced down to strike one of the tall spires of the fortress, destroying the stone work, and sending chunks of masonry flying everywhere. Some of the larger pieces landed in the midst of the gathered garrison, killing several as the tower came tumbling down, accompanied by pieces of the woodwork within that was ablaze with natural fire caused by the thousand volts that had just coursed through the building.

The sky began to churn in a sickening swirl that gave one the feeling they were about to be pulled in, turning a dark red color to match the blood-tinged, darkened moon that hung bloated at the apex of its nightly journey, normally unseen at this time.

The three and their fallen comrade made a hasty scramble down from the platform, falling among the mix of men that had paused in their flight or fight to watch that which was happening. Very few rose to challenge the three as they made their way to the elf and the mage, currently standing at the other end of the courtyard, and those that did were hastily dispatched with either fire, or sword, whichever happened to reach them first.

Heero clutched the comatose boy to him as they moved; praying to whatever or whoever listened to such, that he would be able to save the slight form in his arms from the fate that had already been imparted to him. He didn't look down, though the wish to do so was strong, for there was a fear there, lying both in the back of his mind, and in the bottom of his heart. A fear that the Duo he knew was already gone. Confirming that might have driven every desire to continue from him. Even the looming possibility of Duo being lost within Shinigami still held that little bit of irrational hope. However, if Duo's mind was already blown to hell, then there would never be hope again.

Heero needed that bit of hope, and he clung to it like it was the last thing keeping him from being swept away.

It was only a short time before their whole group was once again together, and Duo was placed on the ground for Quatre to fret over, while the others tried to put his plight momentarily behind them so that they would have clear thoughts for coming up with something to do now. The earth summon was instructed to intercede if anyone decided to come their way.

The sky had gone crazy by this time, what with the clouds gathering at one point that looked to be directly over the dais. Of course, it would have been located there, simply because of the fact that the summoning circle was drawn on the platform. The smaller one cut into Duo's chest was just a focusing point for the sacrifice's life force to be drawn from, but it looked like it had not been needed after all.

It was then that the second crack of lightning shattered the eyes, while the accompanying thunder hammered into eardrums, bested in might only by the earth-shattering sound that drove down on them all from above.

It was like the sky split wide open, revealing an endless vortex of swirling darkness that if concentrated on, would drive the mind to insanity. It was like being blind, so much so, that the eyes were drawn to the nothingness.

Out of that void, came something that was so definitely not supposed to be there. A figure, large to the eye, and of unsure proportion. It swept down, on pinions that were harshly feathered in darkness, and encompassing one's vision as they raked at the sky. Twin blazing eyes peered down on those huddled below, a malevolent yellow that ate into the soul, leaving a smear of negativity behind. It looked at once, both like a man, and like an animal. If it were to be put into a category, lupine would be forced to be adequate, for nothing of that kind existed to compare it to. The animal form was like a craggy wolf, knees bent in the opposite direction, and standing on hind legs like some kind of were-creature. A long, almost serpentine tail tipped with a vicious looking spine whipped about lazily in the darkening air. A lupine-like head crowned the body of this monstrosity, twin spiral horns erupting from its forehead and embracing the shaggy dome in a long curve that ended in a split off. Despite being slightly human, the thing's face extended outwards into a slight muzzle, two pairs of canines thrusting down from under the top lip of the creature to hang threateningly in the air. It might have not been so impressive and imposing, if not for the malicious air the thing gave off. It practically radiated with negative power, far above what any of them would have been able to stand against, even at their best.

It floated down on the wave of its own power, landing with a sickening crunch atop the platform. It was doubted that the wooden structure would be able to hold the apparent weight of the monstrous creature, but it stood solid nevertheless.

So …this was Sarkan's master.

The thing looked around at those gathered, eyes landing on the prostrate ebon form of Shinigami for a moment, before directing its gaze to the small figure of the sorcerer, still holding Solo's burnt body. Many felt that gaze rake through their soul, and several fell to their knees even as they began to pray to some deity or another for forgiveness.

"_Fools_." Suddenly came the voice from the thing. "_You pray to Gods that no longer listen_."

The sound of that creature's voice reverberated through the core, much like rocks grinding against one another, yet possessing some deep, sonorous quality that allowed it to penetrate through the stupor that seemed to have caught everyone's mind.

It was then that the change began taking over the monstrous creature. The mass of darkness seemed to shrink in upon itself, limbs and tail being sucked in, and the whole being growing smaller with each passing second. The Demon's form changed, twisting into a straighter standing creature, knees reversing, spine straightening, until the form of a man began to emerge. The wings began to break apart, dark feathers falling everywhere, and as they settled in the quiet, a figure of vague human proportions finally stood tall atop the dais.

From their distance, is was a bit difficult to really tell what the being looked like, but it was still so far from being human. The horns yet rested at its head, smaller in proportion, but still large. Grey skin that did not reflect the red light pouring down from the heavens adorned this figure, and eyes that glowed a deep yellow crossed once more over the silently terrified gathering. Shaggy hair much like that present on the earlier creature, fell over the being's shoulders, wild in cut, yet somehow falling in a way that made it look sleek. Clad in wine colored robes matching those of Sarkan, the being was tall, taller than any present. Standing easily at seven or eight feet, the demon's frame was almost too thin, skeletal in demeanor. It gave him an overall air of pestilence, and death.

It was indeed like death had settled its icy cool grip about those present, for not a single soul there made any sound.

It was then that Sarkan stood, Solo yet held within his arms. The eyes of everyone fell upon him as he moved, slowly climbing the steps of the dais to the top, where his newly summoned master waited with an icy smile playing about those grey lips.

Upon reaching the top, he proceeded to place Solo's lifeless body atop the altar, which was slightly askew due to the large body that had so previously landed atop it. Then, with the briefest of touches to the unrecognizable face of the youth, the sorcerer turned to his master, and fell to one knee, blonde head bowed in reverence.

"Greetings and good come, Master." He said, loud enough for only those close to the dais to overhear. The demon looked down on his servant, then raked that harsh gaze once more over the men gathered.

"_You have served me well, sorcerer_." The demon said, bringing its gaze back to the blonde man.

"_You shall now have the reward promised you._" Taking a few steps to the side, the demon gazed down on the lifeless form of the young Solo, burned beyond recognition. Crimson wisps of power began to filter from the being, tainting the air around it, and the demon placed a long, clawed hand upon the boy's chest.

The gaping burn wounds closed, healing over at a pace that was amazing even to those who used magick. In less than a handful of heartbeats, the youth was healed, and his chest rose to take the first breath of a life renewed.

Sarkan stood quickly, going to the youth on the dais, hope on his singed features.

And then Solo opened his eyes; eyes devoid of anything relating to the mortal realm. They held the void within them, pupil-less. It was an eerie sight indeed, especially for those who had seen the lad alive, and so full of light and laughter.

The sorcerer shrank back, eyes on the youth who sat up, aiming those cold black orbs around as if for the first time, a sneer upon those lovely features.

"What have you done to him?" Sarkan whispered, angling his dark blue gaze to his master.

The demon had a look of pure pleasure on its features. It was enjoying the pain evident in the sorcerer's soul.

"_I have given him new life, as you asked for reward, because you had intentions of using him as the sacrifice. However, since you went back on the deal sealed in your own blood, and tried replacing him with another, our deal was then negated. Oh, I have indeed given him life again, but he is now a servant of mine. I will take him, and leave you broken, as punishment for breaching our contract."_

With that statement said, the demon dealt a punishing back handed blow to the sorcerer, sending him flying across the courtyard to land up against the far wall, closest to where the small group of comrades watched and waited. Sarkan slid to the ground, coughing up blood from a punctured lung, and struggling to stay conscious.

It was as if that sudden flurry of action broke the spell that had been cast upon everyone present. A scream went up from somewhere, and others began to echo it, as the momentary bravery of the garrison melted into sudden panic. Terrified, the men began to flee, running for their lives, and indeed, their souls. Many were knocked to the ground, and trampled to an unpleasant death beneath the feet of their comrades. This was the true state of man.

The demon watched with barely hidden glee as his feast of mortal souls fought to reach the exits. Then with easy exuberance, he summoned forth a terrible bolt of lightening, much like the one which had devastated the tower only moments earlier. The sharp light thrown by the bolt as it struck the ground dazed and blinded those around it. Several had died in the blast, and their wailing souls were drawn into the vortex of the demon's power, screaming piteously as they descended into their own personal hell.

"_Feel the gratitude of He whom you have summoned forth. Baezrok calls for your willing souls_." The demon called down more lightening, ripping up the earth and tossing men like rag dolls.

The rush of the on coming, panicked stampede tore through the small group before they could react and pull to the side. The soldiers strove to escape, and cared not a bit for what was in their way. However, the earth summon also was still present, and Quatre gave it the order to keep the soldiers from them. It immediately began ripping into the garrison, who then began to steer clear of the lesser monstrosity.

If they weren't in trouble before, the fact that the hulking earth summon towered above everything made it an obvious target for the demon, who had taken notice of the creature. Raising a clawed hand, the demon sent a wave of lightening arching down towards the summon.

"Move!" Quatre shouted, everyone jumping away from the summon as fast as their reflexes allowed, even as the monstrous bolt of lightening hit the creature, completely destroying it.

Pieces of shrapnel flew outwards, striking many, and bringing down a few. A large chunk struck across Trowa's back, bruising and cutting. He gave a yelp of pain that was lost in the screams around them.

The one who suffered the most from this attack, however, was Heero. There was no way he could have heaved the unconscious Duo clear in time, so instead, had thrown himself over the youth's limp form. As a result, he had taken a great deal of punishment, not to mention a part of the initial bolt of lightning. HH

Now, the two of them lay beneath the rubble that had only moments before been the earth summon.

Heero had his knees and elbows braced above the long haired youth, taking the weight of the stone and earth directly upon his back.

If he had not possessed his powers, he would have been crushed. As it was, he struggled to keep the rubble from crushing them even then.

Cobalt eyes glanced down in the gloom to see that pale face only half a foot from his own, amethyst eyes open and blank. A long line ran across the youth's forehead; a cut from some jagged rock. It was bleeding slowly, the red liquid running down the side of the braided youth's motionless face.

A rage began to build within Heero.

All this time, things had been set against them, and to what end? Duo had suffered so much at the hands of the sorcerer, and now, there was no Duo anymore. His mind was gone, and even now, they still tried to make him suffer. That harsh reality cut him deeper than any wound. Enough was enough. Heero had made a promise in a time that seemed so long ago now, that he would protect this young man, and he had been unable to do so in the end. All because of _them_.

The rage built, until Heero's body sang with the power that ran through his veins. Flamelets filled the small space they had, and suddenly, that fire roared to full life beneath the rubble.

…

The others had ended up being luckier after the blast. Quatre had seen Heero's actions, and now worked to try and lift the mess of rock and earth. Parts of the rock had melted from the bolt's supercharged heat, and the process would be difficult in the best of circumstances. However, the demon, Baezrok, was back to randomly throwing about lightning bolts, and sucking up the souls of the slain.

They would have to work fast if they wanted to escape.

Wufei and Meiran stood to the side, Wufei supporting the injured Trowa. Quatre was the one who would have the most luck here.

However, before he could do anything, he scrambled backwards as he felt the power beneath the rubble mounting at a crazy rate.

The air grew warmer, and then hot to the point of being uncomfortable. As if in slow motion, the rocks and earth shifted, and then began to melt before their eyes.

Flamed roared to life from where the two had gone under, the center which shone white, surrounded by crimson heat.

Everyone within the vicinity clambered to escape from that overwhelming heat, and Baezrok made a slow turn of his head, the souls of the dying completely lost in this new power which had surged forth from under his very nose.

The companions watched in awe as their veritable leader rose from the ashes of stone, the braided youth held in his arms. The blaze touched neither of them, enveloping them instead in the cocoon of crimson flame. Taking a step forward, the flames began to die slowly, waning in strength until they were cut completely, and Heero knelt to place Duo at the feet of a dumb-founded Quatre.

"Guard him." Was all he said, and then turned, aiming a fiery cobalt gaze towards the demon atop the platform. He then strode slowly, confidently towards the demon.

Baezrok watched, amusement yet again on those cool, grey features. If this human thought to overcome Him, then let the fool come. It would prove to be entertaining.

Anyone still between the soldier and the demon hurried to get out of his way as he strode forward, an air of power radiating about him in a wave of heat that was hot enough to burn. Flames were once again riding the air about his thin frame, playing in the lines of his hair and fluttering along his skin in a lover's caress.

The area was strewn with bodies, and these began to burn cleanly away as he continued forward. Baezrok crossed his arms across his thin chest, waiting.

The soldier came to a stop some distance from the demon, flames roaring about him. Suddenly, his power flared again, rising higher as his cold rage grew. A cry echoed then, the sounding of a thousand silver bells, harmonious, beautiful, and deadly. A shape began to form in the flames, monstrous in its own right. It rose upwards on wings of flame, climbing above everything and shattering the world with it's brilliant crimson light.

Baezrok's narrowed eyes followed the fiery form as it spiked upwards, then began a descent down towards him, flamed wings flaring as its speed grew.

He moved not an inch.

The flaming beast threw its self at the demon, impacting and drawing Baezrok into a fiery embrace that completely obscured the demon.

Burning with righteous vehemence, it was a moment or two before anything happened. However, what finally happened was not what was expected, much less desired.

The flames around the demon began to die down as Heero's rage born strength began to fade. Oh, his rage was still heavy and hot, but his body could not hold the strain for much longer before giving out entirely. The inferno atop the dais was cut suddenly with a thought from the demon, and the last of the crimson flames melted away to reveal Baezrok, only slightly the worse for wear. A smirk was on his face, and he slowly began to walk down the stairs of the dais, moving towards the soldier who was now having a hard time even staying upon his feet.

"_Your attempts are admirable, mortal. Not many would have been able to overcome me for so long." _

Baezrok came to a stop next to the fallen soldier, who looked up at him, cobalt eyes filled with a cold hatred.

"_However, now it is time for you to join the other souls so that you may fuel MY power with that firestorm you possess."_

The movement was quick, and before anyone knew, Heero was lifted from the ground by the gnarled, clawed hand about his throat.

…

There was nothing. No feeling, no hot, no cold.

No existence.

The shell began to crack as something voiced a musical cry, tendrils of being slowly reaching outwards from its self-made nest of protection.

Was it safe? The soul shattering pain seemed to be gone…

_Come little one… it is time._

What? Who are you?

_I am you. Wake now, the time has come for a reckoning._

No…I don't want to.

…_wake, now._

I..I can't. I'm afraid.

_Be not afraid. I am here, now wake!_

..but

_WAKE!_

…

Duo's body convulsed suddenly with the power behind that command, and his mind snapped back to his body so fast that he screamed, the echoes of an ear shattering roar ringing in his mind, body, and soul.

His scream was lost however, in the overwhelming sound that was voiced from across the courtyard, a mirror to what he'd heard in his mind.

Shinigami rose, a shadow of death on his four monstrous ebon limbs, head bristling with spikes raised in fury. An angry tail lashed behind him, cudgel-like end hitting the wall of the fortress, cracking the thick stone with one hit.

Baezrok glanced behind him to the dragon, Heero hanging from his grip. A grin curled along ashen lips.

"_The sleeping beast awakens. Now, perhaps, I will begin to enjoy myself."_

Looking back at the soldier in his grip, Baezrok raised his other hand.

"_What a pity. You, like all of your kind, won't live to see my greatest hour."_

The claws on the demon's free hand lengthened, and before anyone could move, all five dagger length claws were plunged into Heero's chest, the soldier's eyes widening, his hands coming up to clutch convulsively at the demon's hand protruding from his chest.

Those claws searched out Heero's heart, wrapped about it, and pierced it straight through. A choked gasp gurgled up from lungs filling with blood, the viscous liquid beginning to run from his mouth. Managing only another few, struggling gasps of air, Heero's body slowly went limp, hands falling to his sides.

All was silent as the perfect soldier died, a tribute to his heroism.

…………………………….

Woot, another chapter. I can only imagine what kind of reviews I'll get from this one.

Well, hope you all enjoyed this one. I was a bit stumped, which is why it took so long for this chapter to come out, but in the end, I'm satisfied with it.

I guess I underestimated my own love of writing lengthy things, because it's going to be more than a few chapters before this is finished. Ah well, such is life, ne?

More chapters to come!

Thanks for the reviews. It's what keeps me writing, knowing that ye all enjoy this.


	33. Chapter 33

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai 1x2 3x4 5xM

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 33

The silence was shattered by another vicious, growling roar from Shinigami. The dragon's glowing eyes were centered on their immediate target; the demon. A dragon's rage is more than most wish to ever witness, much less stand against.

Baezrok's yellow eyes gloated over how easily the soldier had died, for the moment completely ignoring the raging dragon at his back. Even in death, the soldier's soul fought him, clinging to the body still in the demon's grip. It was a simple matter, breaking the hold between the two, and it was mere moments before the soldier's soul was dragged into the demon's vortex.

That done, the demon shucked the youth from his claws, tossing the limp body to the side to land in a lifeless heap. Bringing his claws to his lips, he licked the blood from them as he turned to Shinigami.

"_So, Beast. Have you anything worthy of my time?"_ The demon asked, eyes gleaming in the red light streaming from the heavens.

"_I'm sure the soul of one of the old ones would be a delectable treat."_ Baezrok purred, burning the rest of the blood from his claws in a wash of power.

The bolt of black dragonfire was his answer, engulfing him in dark flames for a moment before the demon jumped from the blaze, landing a few feet away as the fires died. A look that spoke of some sourness rode the features of the demon.

Even a High Demon was subject to duress from dragonfire. It burned even the air for a time, such was its fury. Nothing could escape it, and none could tame it save for the dragon that spawned it.

Said dragon now launched forward, a furious wall of spines and claws that glittered wicked red in the light from overhead. A roar accompanied its movement, and it had crossed the long courtyard and was to the demon before anyone could move from its path. Anyone still in his way was crushed, or swept away by the angry tail lashing behind the beast.

Ebony claws lashed out, and the demon made a hasty retreat, those dark wings bursting forth from his back to aid in maneuverability. Winging upwards, a quick sweep in the air had the demon dodging another burst of fire.

"_Come, surely you can do better than that, beast."_ Baezrok easily dodged the spouts of fire aimed at him as he spoke, winging this way and that overhead.

A serpentine head whipped upwards at the jibe, releasing another bolt of fire before Shinigami launched his lithe body into the air. Yet possessing his base abilities, Shinigami's broken wing flared out, having healed in the time between its injury and now. Sweeping downwards, the strong pinions grabbed the air and cupped it like water, letting it spill out in the upwards beat, only to be filled again in the strong downbeat.

It was amazing that such a monstrous thing could fly, much less rise so quickly and effortlessly. In seconds, Shinigami arched after the demon, spewing a rain of fire in his wake. The size difference alone made it look like a great hawk chased a gnat.

…

The five on the ground paid almost no attention to what went on overhead. The awakened Duo, and the crumpled figure that lay across the courtyard were enough to occupy them for the immediate moment, however every other person still alive had once more resumed their dash for freedom and escape as the two titans fought their winged battle.

Duo's sudden re-emergence from his coma like state had shocked everyone. It had heralded the awakening of Shinigami

And the death of Heero.

Now, violet eyes were latched onto the crumpled figure so far away in disbelief. He had come back to himself just in time to watch the person he cared about the most killed, just like that. It had been so sudden, so quick, and now, so overwhelming.

What about his promise?

"Duo? Duo, look at me." Quatre kneeled beside the long haired youth, trying to keep himself from crying for their 'leader' as he worked to keep Duo with them. Gods, how much more would they all have to suffer before the end? Who was going to be the next one to die?

Duo turned to look at his friend, violet eyes filled with pain, both physical and psychological.

"Why…why did he do that?" The youth muttered, eyes overshadowed with grief. Quatre knew he wasn't talking about the demon.

Wufei, as the only one capable, went the short distance to where the soldier had fallen, and with a wordless expression of pain, he carefully picked up the limp body, noting how light it seemed, as if Heero's soul was what had weighed it down.

"Why would he go and do something so stupid?" Duo's words were strained as Wufei brought Heero's body back to them, laying him on the ground. "What was he thinking?" Duo's words began to grow heated, and louder with each new question.

"Did you think you could kill that thing by yourself?" Duo grabbed at the front of Heero's shirt, heedless of the blood that coated his hands.

"What's wrong with you? Don't you know that even you…have….your limits…" Duo broke down as it sunk in, tears stinging his eyes as his words grew choked, and faded away.

"…why…" He hunched over, sinking down to lay his forehead against his bloody hands, still gripping the front of Heero's shirt, heedless of the arcane markings carved into his chest, the bleeding from those all but stopped. Sobs began to wrack his thin frame, and he was moments away from giving voice to a scream.

"Do you…wish…for revenge….dragon child?" The voice that spoke so close to the group was familiar in a wicked way, and Duo jumped as he looked to its origin, his mourning interrupted.

"Sarkan…." He breathed as the sorry sight met his startled, red rimmed gaze.

Wufei jumped up first, bringing one of his swords to bear against the pale neck of the broken sorcerer who had crawled, unnoticed, over to their group during the struggle in the middle of the courtyard.

Sarkan was a mess. His robes were tattered, and the front was covered with the blood he'd coughed up, blending into the wine color. His deep blue eyes were drawn, and despite the loathing each of them felt for this man, some deep sense of pity began to form.

The sorcerer glanced up at the young warrior, heedless of the sword's razor edge a mere hair's breadth from his throat..

"Do you wish to win, or not?" Came the simple statement, and it took Wufei slightly by surprise, not to mention the rest of the group.

Struggling to get a good breath of air with one punctured lung, Sarkan turned his attention back to Duo, and steadfastly ignored the others.

"I asked you a question, dragon." The sorcerer wheezed. Duo blinked, realizing what the sorcerer was offering. He then nodded affirmation.

"I will give you the key to regaining your body, if you will do something for me once you are again whole."

"What the hell are you trying to pull here?" An incredulous Meiran spoke up. "You kidnapped, and tortured Duo, and now you are asking for favors?"

"Be quiet Meiran." Duo said then, suddenly no longer the whimpering, mourning youth of mere seconds before. An opportunity was being offered. He would have been a fool to not listen to the older man's stipulations in return for the way to kill Baezrok.

Heero's murderer.

"Name your price, sorcerer." Duo then said quietly, yet distinctly. Meiran held her tongue for the time being, backing off of the subject in question.

"After you are again one with Shinigami... I want you to kill Solo." The sorcerer said, hesitatingly only slightly as he named his price.

Duo was taken aback by the sorcerer's request. He had not seen the changes that had been wrought over the feline youth, and the request seemed to be completely irrational.

"Why do you want me to do this?" Duo asked quietly. "Solo seems to be the only thing or person you hold close to you."

"Which is why I ask this of you." Sarkan said, meeting that harsh violet gaze with his own deep blue view.

"Solo was killed…instead of you, and the Mast….Baezrok… took him for his own use, instilling a soul tainted with his power." Sarkan seemed to be deeply wounded by what had happened. "Solo is no longer Solo…and I know that he wouldn't want to live this way. I ask only that you free him. Cleanse him with your fire; make him pure once more."

Duo was silent as Sarkan finished, and simply looked over at the sorcerer as he quickly thought over their options. His violet view landed on his lifeless love.

"Very well. I will make sure to kill him quickly." Duo said, the words sounding so alien and harsh coming from such a normally cheery and kind person. It was just so…wrong, …and there was no time to worry anymore whether he'd still be Duo after the merging.

A small, grim smile crossed Sarkan's lips.

"Thank you.." He whispered.

Sarkan then began digging slowly through his robes, finally finding the pocket he wanted among the tattered and partially burnt cloth. From the pocket, he drew a black leather pouch, and handed it over to Duo, under the watchful eye of the others.

"Take this. It will be sufficient to bind… the two of you together." Sarkan said as Duo opened the bag and poured its contents into his hand. There, on a silver chain, was the onyx pendant Phenris had given him in a time that seemed so long ago. He picked it up, and without a word, placed it about his neck.

"What do I need to do?" He then asked,

"You must call Shinigami to you. " Sarkan began, pausing as a fit of coughing came over him, bringing up more blood to stain his hands. "The beast ...knows nothing,… and will resist. He will… attack you, and you have to allow him… to kill your mortal body." The coughing fit left the Sorcerer gasping for breath that didn't come immediately.

Duo glanced over at the crumpled form, looked down at the pendant that lay gleaming from his neck, then angled his gaze back to the recovering sorcerer.

"Very well…" He answered again, much against the almost immediate protests of his friends.

"You have no reassurance that this will work." Wufei said tersely, sword still at the ready.

"There's no telling what would happen, if anything." Quatre added.

"I have to do this." Was the youth's reply.

"How do I call Shinigami?" He then asked in a tone that brooked argument from none.

Sarkan noted the very obvious change from the frightened and confused boy of before, to the stern and sure youth who stood before him. He didn't know whether to be reassured, or afraid.

"Reach out…with your mind. You are the soul… you can control the body." The sorcerer said, his breath again running out.

Duo nodded silently.

"…Duo?" Quatre spoke up, and he cringed inwardly at the look in those violet eyes. Duo had finally snapped, and it was all too evident.

Those eyes softened for a moment however, and then he was gone, walking away from the group so they would not be caught in the crossfire.

The monumental battle being fought overhead had reached a feverish point. Shinigami had been able to catch the demon with several bursts of dragonfire, and Baezrok had started retaliation of his own, shooting bolts of lightning towards the winged black death. Even then, the demon threw an arch of lightning towards the pursuing dragon, which Shinigami promptly dodged, a stray spark striking along his wing. Shinigami let loose with a feral roar, angling off for a moment before continuing his attack.

Violet eyes now followed the dragon's trail, as Duo has staked his place in the center of the courtyard.

_Come Shinigami _ Duo thought, raising his arms towards the red heavens.

_Come to me_

In the sky, the dragon twisted suddenly, as if being jerked to the side from his forward flight. An enraged scream left the dragon's maw, and it's eyes blazed as it searched for that which tried to control it.

_Come to me!_

There! The mental urges were being sent from the small being on the ground. How dare it? That puny thing thought to control the might of a black dragon. Let it learn the penalty of such.

The dragon suddenly dove, cleanly slicing pursuit of the demon as it roared down towards the human on the ground. Baezrok followed, eyeing the dragon's target. Yellow orbs narrowed. There was something about this human that spoke of …more. He then realized what was happening, and threw a hasty bolt of lightning towards the dragon's downward retreating form in an effort to turn it away.

Shinigami gave loose another roar; it seemed there were many things seeking his attention, and death.

_To me, Shinigami!_

Again the call came, and the dragon was lost in rage, ignoring the demon on his tail like a mosquito buzzing in one's ear. Baezrok was a minor hindrance when compared to this boy.

Duo watched as the dragon dove, feeling only the slightest tremor of doubt and fear worm its way through his mind before he hardened his resolution, and called once more.

_Come to me, dragon _

_Come and burn away this body_

Shinigami leveled off, eyes of blazing crystal piercing all. From his fanged maw, a rolling wave of flame spewed forth towards Duo, who welcomed it with open arms. The flames wrapped around him, the extreme heat blindingly painful at first, then numbing as Duo watched in morbid fascination as his skin melted away, momentarily exposing bones and tissue until that too was burnt to ashes and nonexistence.

Then Duo was gone.

It was weird, viewing the world from the other side of death. Everything was different in shape and color, and lines of energy ran everywhere, connected to all.

Duo floated in this limbo for only a second though.

He began to feel a tug on his being, like someone had a string attached to him, and he was drawn upwards into a living breathing darkness that wrapped around him almost like a warm, comforting blanket of familiarity. A strong, steady beat pulsed in his mind, and he came to feel the things around him again. The rush of wind in his eyes, over his body, whistling as it caught and ran through his scales and was cut by his monstrous wings.

Shinigami roared in delight as his telescopic vision took in all again. He was restored! No more was the black dragon an unthinking beast of rage and flame. Now, he had his mentality back. An age old mind that had seen more than most even dream about, and learned more than any book had to offer.

Shinigami's spiked crest rose in challenge to the world, and his great pinions flared out to encompass all of the crimson sky in their glory.

A deafening roar was ripped from Shinigami's throat as the ebon dragon spiraled upwards, momentarily heedless of everything as the overwhelming joy of being back in his body took the great creature.

"_Dragon! Come and face me!_" Baezrok howled upwards at the blazing behemoth, his eyes burning yellow. This was not supposed to happen. He needed to destroy the beast before Shinigami regained all of his former strength.

Shinigami halted his upwards progress, and glared downwards at the demon.

**_Think you to call me, demon?_** The dragon queried, slowly floating down as he spoke. The voice of the ebon creature was overwhelming, coming to life within the minds of all as the equivalent of the clangor of great bells, musical yet discordant in nature.

_**You are nothing but refuse to me. How are you able to gather the nerve to even speak in my presence?**_

It was obvious just how much of a difference there was between these two super-powers. Baezrok was now nothing more than a stain in Shinigami's sight.

And the demon began to laugh.

"_There is more to me than meets the eye, dragon! I did not come this far only to be sent back through the ninth gate of Hell!"_

Baezrok's form began to melt into a blackness that absorbed him, and began to grow. It was mere moments before the pulsing blackness peaked in size, then began to dissipate, leaving behind a version of the beast that had first appeared in the sky.

However, this time, the demon's size was almost that of Shinigami's. Wicked razor claws scythed from hands on four arms that had sprouted from a wide set chest, all covered in harsh, rangy fur. Wide, dark wings pinioned behind the large beast, now half feathered, and half naked leathery skin. A long, scaled tail ended in a nasty looking scythe-like sting, much like a scorpion's, and sliced angrily through the air behind the demon.

The demon's head was similar to before, with a second set of horns bursting forth from his temples and wrapping around the first pair. A long, wide muzzle was heavy set in a wide face, and filled with vicious teeth, a double set of canines coming down to hang over the bottom lip.

This was an unexpected turn of events. Now, the demon appeared to be on the same playing field as Shinigami, and that was not something anyone wanted.

The ebon dragon floated on the smallest of breezes, barely working his wings at all.

**_You think revealing your true form will help you?_** The dragon asked, contempt coloring his words.

_**I shall burn your wretched body until nothing is left but ashes to scatter upon the wind.**_

"_You are welcome to try, dragon."_ The demon ground out, flexing foot long claws.

If dragon's were capable of smiling, a wicked grin would have wound about Shinigami's mouth. As it was, his laughter floated through everyone's mind.

_**So be it.**_

And the fight for the world began anew, each contestant now at their maximum strength.

Below, the disheveled group watched at the two titans bowled straight for each other, meeting with a crack, claws skittering across scales with a sound of metal rending, flames burning fur, and both creatures clawing at the other in the most base form of fighting.

They had all experienced the sound of Shinigami's voice in their heads, an encounter that had left many stunned.

Quatre now looked upwards, fear for his friend written all over his face. He'd heard it… in the dragon's voice. Heard that which they had all hoped would not be the case; the horrible truth.

Duo was gone.

* * *

Aiyaaa! Another chapter down, and lots more to go! I might be going for a record here

I'm as excited typing this up as I've heard that you guys are reading it. I do hope that I'm keeping you all entertained enough.

Again, thanks for the reviews, and for those of you who were with me since the beginning. The story is reaching it's ultimate climax, and who knows just what will happen? I know I don't XD

Ciao, and keep those reviews coming. The more reviews, the faster I write!


	34. Chapter 34

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai 1x2 3x4 5xM

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 34

A noise, loud as the immediate crack of thunder raked from the heavens as the two titans clashed, grasping for anything that could debase the other. Shinigami's impenetrable scaled hide kept him from getting dangerously injured, and the demon could heal himself as fast as the wounds were created. Their strengths were too close for the comfort of anyone below, despite the dragon's initial haughty words.

Winds hurled madly to earth by the beating of great wings began to continuously kick up dirt and debris, creating a dust storm below the raging two. The onlookers were completely obscured, as was the overhead battle from them. The group huddled together below, unnerved by the thunderous sounds that they could not see.

The two superpowers again collided head on, slashing claws and rending teeth flying hither and about, pushing them apart in the air to allow for ranged attacks. Shinigami let loose a fury of flame, centered and controlled far more than it had been before. Baezrok nimbly avoided it, flying higher into the darkening sky. The blood red hues of before were being covered in clouded darkness, drawn in by the call of the demon.

Shinigami soared after easily, lifted as a feather on the winds that were beginning to build. The demon was summoning a storm to his aid, yet it did not effect Shinigami's flight in the least. Those great leathery pinions pumped air, gaining upwards speed.

The demon suddenly stopped his upward flight, reaching out both pairs of arms, feathered wings spread wide. Shinigami was seconds away from slamming into the demon in attack, when an unnaturally brilliant flash of lightning arched downwards, striking the demon's outstretched limbs like lightning rods. The demon in turn, directed the powerful blast downwards to the black dragon, and struck him head on.

Shinigami let loose a roar, yet continued upwards, and those few seconds which had not allowed him to dodge also kept Baezrok from doing the same, and the dragon blasted fire upwards, catching the demon in the returned blast, as well as slashing razor claws at the temporarily blinded demon.

Shinigami then soared off to the side, angling downwards as if his brains had become addled by the blast, and he needed half a second to recover.

Baezrok also took the slight reprieve, healing himself in a flash of crimson light, then angling piercing yellow eyes down towards the retreating dragon. He then turned in mid air, angling downwards and tucking in his wings for a fierce and silent dive towards the dragon's momentarily unprotected flanks.

Down on the ground, all eyes were once more drawn to the monumental battle being waged overhead. It was amazing to see so much power being exhibited. Both titans had taken a hard hit, and it looked like Baezrok, with his unnatural healing abilities, was the first to recover fully, once more on the attack.

Shinigami wasn't moving fast enough. The black dragon continued to glide downwards, as if he sought to land, a move which would leave him at a disadvantage to his winged enemy. If Shinigami settled, for what ever reason, it was doubted that Baezrok would allow him back into the air.

Quatre was moving before he had even thought his actions through clearly. His mouth moved in silent spell work as he prepared one of the Words of Power, one of the most devastating spells he knew.

He released it upwards, directly in the path of the demon.

There was no sound, no flashing dazzle of lighted explosions, but part of the demon simply ceased to be. One could see the shock on the demon's face as he began to lose control, one of his wings severed completely from the overwhelming spell. Dark fluid gushed from the place where half of the demon's body had been only seconds before.

That shock was mirrored on Quatre's own face.  
Since when had his magick become that strong?

Not yet known to him, Quatre's power had increased almost exponentially since the first day he had come in contact with Duo's collar. What with the power constantly being drained, the little mage's magick had grown in order to feed that constant depletion, much like the body's immunity systems will kick into overdrive to beat a disease and often times become stronger afterwards.

Quatre's magick had increased the equivalent of ten years of constant use.

He would not realize this until later, but for now, all he knew and cared to know, was that he wielded a power that could at least make the demon falter, and perhaps give Shinigami an edge in this battle that for the moment, the dragon seemed to be lacking.

Baezrok was thrown horribly off course by the sudden loss of a wing, and he angled away from Shinigami, slamming into the ground and through the stone wall of the opposite side of the courtyard.

Shinigami was even then coming to a slow landing in the courtyard, heedless to anyone in his way. There was obviously something wrong, for the dragon tossed his head from side to side, as if trying to rid himself of some plaguing fly that would not leave him be. His tail lashed angrily about, knocking mightily into some of the remains of the tower, sending huge chunks of masonry flying about as the standing stones took the last plunge, sending up a cloud of dust and smoke from the charred skeletal structure. The dust clouded the air further as the crashing tower remains fell over the outer wall of the fortress, bringing it down with a loud rending of stone, and the low vibrating rumble of masonry hitting the earth of the courtyard.

Dust and smoke now thickly choked the air, making it difficult for the four to see anything, much less breathe without inhaling the filth.

Tears streamed down Quatre's face as his watering eyes struggled to make out what was happening through the thick smoke-screen of dust. A sudden roar was loosed from Shinigami, and the thundering boom of his wings striking the air blew a great gout of dust over them, immediately to be followed by the horrible sound of scale grinding against stone.

The dust was then quickly swept away by the continued thunderous movements of the great dragon. The sight that met their eyes when they were once more able to see, was of Shinigami's ebon form crashing into and through yet another of the courtyard's great stone walls, leaving ruin in his wake. However, there was no immediate sign of the demon. He could not have tossed the great dragon so, and it was soon guessable as to what had happened, for Shinigami picked himself up from the debris, shaking his great horned head back and forth with such violence that he sent monstrous chunks of stone flying everywhere. It was becoming all too evident that being anywhere within the general vicinity of the dragon would be life threatening, for the ebon limbs were being tossed about with such recklessness considering the smaller beings still alive in the area.

Letting loose a horrible roar that seemed to have somehow grown even more thunderous, Shinigami's eyes suddenly blazed a violent amethyst, and the next roar held a mental double that streaked through the minds of everyone present like a bolt of lightning.

Quatre jerked at the mental addition, for it had held something … _else_.

…

Hell.

An inferno if pain, searing heat, and endless wailing of tortured souls.  
The inner depths of a demon's void.

A single soul, filled with something stronger than the average mortal, slowly became aware.

Mind bending, this place. Madness lingered on the edges, whispering nothingness into the very center of being. It was like being in perpetual solitude, and knowing that your mind spoke to you, just to tell you how hopeless life had been. Giggling darkness pressed all around, obscuring, and furthering the dementia.

Fire and brimstone, in the most basic of descriptions.

Wait….

Fire.

…

Shinigami launched himself at Baezrok, as if nothing had happened, his renewed exuberance a sign that something may indeed have occurred, though it would have been anyone's guess at to what, exactly. Before the demon had time to react, the dragon was upon him, shredding through the dark, rangy fur that protected his tough hide and deep into the flesh beneath, Baezrok let forth a howl of pain and rage, and got his hind legs under Shinigami's belly, fully intending to rip out the dragon's underside with a single powerful kick. Shinigami was quick to see it though, and letting forth a blast of flame directly into the demon's face, he reared back, pulling his scaled forearms from the double-grasp of Baezrok's four clawed hands.

Back winging with a thunderous clap of displaced air, Shinigami gathered a breath, and rained down upon the demon a new kind of fire.  
This was not solely dragon-fire; it was a mix of dragon-fire, and mage-fire.  
Quatre was the only one who could tell the difference, or exactly what that meant. Something had changed in Shinigami again, and this time, it looked like it might be able to do the job.

There was still only one thing that could tip this fight. So far, Shinigami had sustained no serious injury during the monstrous fight, but Baezrok's ability to almost instantly heal himself with no real ill effects, might eventually wear down his challenger.

They would have to kill him with a single attack for it to work at all. Otherwise, they were simply wasting time hurting a being that couldn't be hurt long enough for it to matter.

Quatre moved over to where Trowa sat leaning up against a broken chunk of the wall, and kneeled next to the injured elf. Trowa's emerald eyes held a question, and Quatre held out his hand in answer.

"Please, give me what you can…" He murmured, an uncharacteristically fierce look in the little mage's aquamarine eyes. Trowa paused for only a moment before extending his own hand, and grasping his angel's in a tight but gentle grip.

Power poured through the connection, bringing a gasp from the mage. He had known that elves were magick, as dragons are magick; it was twined into their very being. However, he'd never imagined what power a single willing elf could provide.

The energy swelled until it filled him to brimming, and he released Trowa's hand with a slight jerk back, as if any more would burn him through the physical connection they'd made. His skin practically glowed with power as he stood, a brief smile of thanks aimed towards the elf who now leaned quite heavily against the wall, a small shadow of a smile attempting to hide the worry on his face.

"Be careful…" Was his only goodbye warning.

…

Shinigami's fire blackened the demon's rangy fur yet again as the mix of mage and dragon flame scorched Baezrok far too easily for the demon's liking. A power-dive took him once more out of the path of the incoming flames, and into range for a clawed swipe at the black dragon. A howl of triumph escaped as his claws snagged the only delicate part of the great dragon, his wing membranes. Shinigami let loose a blast of fiery rage, striking the demon squarely with it, and slipping his injured wing from the demon's grasp, using his momentum to roll under Baezrok and deliver a mighty crack of a hit to the demon's chest with his spiked tail-knob, barely dodging the return swing of the demon's scythe-tipped tail. Ribs broke with an audible snap, and the long spines on the ebon tail buried themselves deep within the demon's rank flesh.

Baezrok scrabbled for a hold on the slick scales to pull the spikes from him, but the need was nullified as Shinigami's further forward momentum ripped the spines free, dripping gore as he soared downwards, then snapped his wings down for a quick upwards burst of speed. He'd gotten lucky in that Baezrok hadn't badly pierced the membranous fibers of his wing. It was just enough to be named a close call.

Baezrok was healing himself as Shinigami attacked again, too quick for him to fully heal the gaping rip in his chest. It began to exhaust his strength as the ebon dragon grabbed him from behind, sinking in those scythe-like claws, searching for vulnerable places even as bone-crushing jaws closed around the base of one of his grimy-feathered wings. A crunching rip echoed through the air, and Baezrok shrieked as Shinigami ripped through muscle, tendon, and bone with a vicious tug and twist of his monstrous angular head, completely ripping off the offending pinion and letting it plummet the several hundred feet to hit the ground with a low thud that sent up a cloud of dust and settled debris. The demon reached back as far as he could with his lower set f arms, seeking a hold on the creatures tearing him apart from behind, actually scoring a hit on Shinigami's underside, the only place vulnerable enough to be pierced by the demon's scythe claws.

Without releasing his hold, Shinigami angled downwards with a single beat of his great wings , tucking them close to his scaled hide for a power-dive that carried the demon with him, their tails and Baezrok's one useless wing trailing after in a flurry of motion. The demon continued to try and strike the dragon behind him, thought the effort was lost in the ebon dragon's mighty downwards plunge.

The air screamed around them as they plummeted towards the ground, cutting through the wind resistance, and nearing the earth below in mere moments.

Seconds from crashing into the ground, Shinigami kicked upwards off the demon's body, tearing a long gash with his hind legs in passing, and unfurled his wings with a sound like thunder as they filled instantly, halting the dragon's downward freefall with a snap that sent the tendons in his wings to popping from the strain. It was visible from here the damage the demon had wrought, dark blood welling from a double line of deep slices.

Baezrok was unable to stop himself in the least as he was released, and slammed into the ground with all the force of their downward momentum behind him, shaking the very ground with his impact, and sending up yet another cloud of debris in his wake.

Shinigami hovered overhead, great wing beats serving to quickly disperse with the obscuring cloud, revealing a broken form that staggered to its feet in the crater his own body's impact had made. New, healthy flesh was covering the wounds, and even then, a wing began to grow, bones first, slowly covering with muscle and sinew, then sprouting feathers and skin.

It was here, that Quatre saw his chance.

The spell he'd prepared with the energy Trowa had bestowed upon him was one he'd only actually used once, and that had only been in practice. It was darker magick, feeding upon both the caster and his intended victim as it would wind its way through the subject. It worked best against magickally inclined creatures, causing their magick to, in essence, rebel against them.

Placing the last seals with his hands, the little mage threw the spell at the unsuspecting demon's back with all his might, before he could have second thoughts, and Baezrok was fully hale again.

The spell hit, and it was like all sound was suddenly sucked from the air as the spell carved its way into the demons back, a soundless roar leaving his maw. Pitching forward, darkness began to gather around the demon's twisted form as he fought the powerful spell. Quatre's eyes were locked on the demon, and he felt the drain, too similar to what he'd experienced from the collar to worry him yet.  
Suddenly, in this void of sound, a voice rang through the minds of all present, a medley of many voices all chorusing together.

**_Rise and be released!_** They cried, familiar and yet not, as the single owner could not be placed. It simply seemed to come from the demon himself.

Shinigami then roared a torrent of flame down on the crouched form of the demon, covering him in flames that burned all too readily. Cutting off the spew, the flames surrounding Baezrok did not die, but grew, brighter and higher until the demon was completely obscured in the glowing mass of heat.

Quatre's spell increased tenfold then, and the mage fell to his knees as it snatched at his life force before he could block it with a wall of magick.

The dark flames surrounding the demon slowly turned crimson and gold as the fury of the flames changed.

Out of the flames, a clarion call sounded, and as if singing victory to the world, the shape rose, and took form. Wings wreathed in crimson flame rose high, higher, until they reached to encompass the entire sky. The head rose, golden slitted eyes burning brightly over the gleaming silver beak. The body of the fire-spirit held the demon within, burning him, charring the muscle and skin that tried to form fast enough.

Shinigami's crest rose once more, and he rained down one last blast of his own mixed fire, blending with that of the firebird's until the two combined into a flaming tower of unholy retribution, Baezrok at the center.

Muscle, skin, fur and feathers all melted away under that unrestrained onslaught. Bones burned, charred, and finally turned to so much ash. A mind full of evil gave its all to survive, but in the end, burned out and died away, nothing left of the High Demon after all was done. Even ash was reduced to nothingness in that inferno.

Such heat would have easily killed anything within the radius of the keep, but other than a tolerable, if uncomfortable heat, those around the glory of the flaming creature did not suffer the same fate as the demon.

The crimson wreathed creature then began to die back, shrinking downwards until it hovered only over the field of battle, eyeing the black dragon as it came to rest in the courtyard with such delicate ease for something so large. Those slitted golden eyes peered into Shinigami's crystalline amethyst orbs, and the two great creatures came to an understanding without a single movement or sign from either. The fiery bird then died further, sinking in on itself, and slowly becoming nothing more than regular fire that had caught at some of the wood debris that littered the area.

Quatre, who had collapsed completely as the duration of his spell ended, was now coming to, and found himself the target of Shinigami's great dark gaze. The ebon dragon began to stalk closer to the little mage, taking cat-like steps on padded paws whose claws were now sheathed once more.

The mage then blinked, for the great form of Shinigami began to become transparent and fade, melting away as if he'd never been. The slinking dragon's four footed steps became two legged, as another form emerged from the darkened shadow that was even then dispersing into the evening air like so much dark fog, closing the distance between itself and the mage in another mere seconds, and stopping to stand before the blonde youth. A pale hand reached down, and it was a second before Quatre could bring himself to move, much less take the proffered hand. When he finally did though, he was pulled unsteadily to his feet, and supported by a person he never thought he'd see again.

"Hey.. thanks for your help back there…" Duo murmured with the same voice they'd all come to know and love. A look into his amethyst eyes, however, showed just how much he had changed. For Duo's eyes now held the same quality as Phenris'.  
One could sit, and gaze back into the thousands of years this youth…this dragon… had lived.

* * *

... 

Oh my… I had so much fun writing this chapter!

By all that's holy, it sure took me long enough, and starting twice to finally figure out how I wished it to work, but I finished it! I do believe, that one more chapter should wrap this up nicely. Of course, I said that about four chapters ago, didn't I?

Oh well.

I do hope that this chapter has pleased everyone. I would suggest not asking questions such as how what why or when right now, as the next chapter will be wrapping up several explanations. However, if you really think it is important, and I may have missed it (I've already missed a few things ) then by all means, do inform me at once.

Other than that, I may be working on a sequel to Eclipse of Dusk. Don't know why I'd embark on such a mad, mad quest, but an idea popped up that I couldn't ignore. What I want, is a show of hands on people who would enjoy seeing a sequel. Of course, I guess I could leave that until after the last chapter's up, and see what you all think. Either way, I need to know. T'would be much appreciated.

Ciao, and much thanks on everyone who continued to review and read, even after such a long time of non-updates.

-Hseru


	35. Chapter 35

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai 1x2 3x4 5xM

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 35

There wasn't much left of Sarkan's stronghold. Those few men-at-arms that had survived both the coming of Baezrok and the titanic battle between the demon and dragon, had long ago fled into the surrounding fields and further wilderness; stragglers were either dead or wounded so badly that death was inevitable. The stronghold was virtually destroyed. Debris littered the ground for hundreds of feet in all directions, as if the buildings had been blown apart rather than knocked down. Part of one tower remained, yet its supports were all but destroyed. It would be coming down too soon of its own accord, and so would end the last of Sarkan's great accomplishments.

The group of companions gathered themselves together once more. All eyes rested upon the youth with amethyst eyes as he moved to their center, helping Quatre along, as the little mage had used himself up in his spell work. Handing him off, the long haired youth turned a sad visage upon their fallen leader, resting on the ground.

Duo knew exactly what had happened in the end. Quatre's spell had allowed the thousands upon thousands of tormented souls trapped within Baezrok to find the strength to rise up, and free the one among them who could turn the tide of battle. Duo's dragon spirit had risen in song as the phoenix flames mounted to violent life out of his own fiery fury. Heero's soul had flown freely, feeding off both the flames outside and the demon's hell within. He'd burnt away all of the demon's powers, leaving him helpless against the fiery onslaught, and Baezrok had then burned with the fury of two ancient beings bent on his demise.

Breath caught in Duo's throat at the memory. Oh, the sheer _joy_ it had been. After Baezrok's ashes were reduced to nothing, the two creatures had then faced off against each other, each the perfect vision of power.

Phoenix song had streamed through his head, and the two had agreed instantly. There would be no more death. No more destruction this day. The phoenix had then melted away, promising a return before time ended, and the world was no more.

Duo knelt next to Heero's prostrate form, and reached out to brush a stray lock of that unruly chocolate hair from before a stern face that had softened into some kind of peace in death. Tears welled in those ancient eyes, and the youth allowed them to fall. Nothing could have ever hurt so much as having a heart that had seen so many things, broken by death that could never be received.

…

It was a day later that found the group already a great distance from Sarkan's stronghold. The Illians had survived the battle, freeing themselves and running from their building as it collapsed downwards consumed in fire. The fact that they had already been saddled proved even more helpful than had first been planned. They managed to catch the extra horses they needed, and each member had their own steed when all was said and done.

It was with a slow, careful step that Shiroi now pulled his new master's body behind him on a makeshift sledge, wrapped in a spare cloak until they could either burn or bury him, as was proper to honor the dead. The white stallion's sapphire eyes stayed on the tracks of the Illian ahead of him, and he hardly seemed to notice as Murasaki picked up behind and to the side of him.

The others didn't really know what to think. Duo had insisted upon riding with them, when he could have just as easily flown off. Indeed, he had been overjoyed to find that Murasaki was waiting for them outside the stronghold's tilled lands.

It was unnerving for them to think that the black dragon they'd witnessed earlier was still inside the comrade they'd all come to consider a dear friend. It was felt that they should tred carefully around him, as if afraid of waking that which lay within, but Duo very quickly put a stop to that kind of behavior. It was soon seen that he was the same person they knew, just with something more inside of him that lent him that ageless appearance. It was an agelessness that was apparent in Trowa to some degree, both being immortal creatures, and the time spent riding in his presence helped them get accustomed to it.

They called an early halt as Wufei, in the lead, spotted a good place to conduct their leader's funeral. Ahead, the trees opened up onto a tall crest in the land, which was bathed in the last streaming rays of the dying day.

It was decided among them that Heero would have preferred a funeral pyre to being in the cold ground. All but Quatre and Duo went to find the amount of wood they'd need, while the two bent to the task of preparing Heero's body for his final departure.

Duo again wept silently with Quatre as they moved his lifeless love from the back of the sledge, spreading Heero's blanket roll out so he could be laid upon it. It was with gentle hands that they unwrapped him from the cloak, cleaning as much of the dried blood off as was possible with what they had. The longhaired youth was taken aback by just how peaceful their leader's face now rest. Like everything that worried or harassed him in life was now swept away in death. It brought a small, hesitant smile to Duo's lips, as he traced the side of Heero's tranquil face, fingers catching the mussed hair.

_And what would you have done if he lived?_ Shinigami's voice echoed in his head. _You would have simply watched him wither away to nothingness. At least this way, your last memory will be of him in the full of his vigor._ The dragon's words, though meant to help in what way they could, did little to comfort him.

This was how it had turned out, for some reason. Instead of losing himself completely, Duo and Shinigami now shared the same body, but not the same mind. Indeed, they had come to the agreement which led to Duo's humanity now. Shinigami ruled the dragon half, Duo the human half. They would never be the same again, but the knowledge Shinigami had gained through his human half was a fair trade in his great eyes. The dragon thirsted for knowledge like nothing else in life. As a result, they were the same, yet separate. They both knew everything the other did, to a degree. There were some things a dragon could understand that the human mind would never be able to grasp.

The three gathering wood meanwhile went about their task with a single mindedness that produced good results within an hour. They moved the wood to the rise, and found a large square alter of sorts made of a dark, solid stone that stood some two feet out of the ground, spires of the same stone jutting up and over their heads, a cradle in which to place the wood, and the fallen.

It had not stood there an hour before. Phenris was giving the only support she could, but it was enough.

The wood was piled on top in crisscrossed layers until another three feet was added to the height.

As the sun touched the rim of the world, the funeral began, such as it was, and they carried their fallen to the top of the rise, and placed him on the pyre.

Each of them held a burning brand, but it was Duo who first set the pyre ablaze. After he'd done so, they each lit another area, until the flames rose upward to wrap around the still form, and the smoke and heat flowed heavily into the sky.

The perfect blue heavens gave way to a myriad of colors as the sun finally set, and the blaze grew hotter until all but Duo had to step back. The heat washed over him, but he didn't feel it. The tortured sadness in his eyes reflected the flames with an alacrity that was almost alarming if one didn't know what slept within. He had already gotten his revenge though… why did he still feel so empty? The hollow refused to be filled, whether he fill it with sadness, anger, or despair. It would simply stay empty until something greater came to fill it.

The amethyst eyed youth finally stepped back from the pyre as a brisk wind suddenly threw up embers and ash in all directions, coursing about the flaming altar in a whirlwind of heat and smoke. One last lyrical cry broke the heavens, filling the minds of all with its joy at being free, then was washed away by the whipping winds.

The cry stayed with them all, even as the wind died back down, and the pyre continued to burn, until all that remained was a pile of ash and burnt wood upon the dark stone dais. It was with a heavy sigh that Duo then led the group back down into the area they'd picked to set up camp.

That night was a quiet one as everyone silently ate their dinner of stew and bread taken from the supplies at the stronghold. It wasn't until after the food was cleaned up that Quatre began talking to Duo, gently asking what had happened.

"We thought that you were gone… but after Heero…" The little mage said, faltering slightly upon mention of there fallen comrade. "…After Heero woke you, everything happened so fast. Shinigami woke up, and killed you, but then, I felt you…" Quatre shrugged helplessly in apology. He realized then that now may perhaps not be the best time to broach the subject, but his insatiable curiosity had momentarily blinded his more compassionate senses.

Duo gave him a small, crooked smile of forgiveness.

"To tell you the truth…I'm not all that sure what happened myself…" The long haired youth answered. "The only things I remember are this numb feeling of timelessness, and then I was yanked back into Shinigami's body, and suddenly I was seeing everything through his eyes. Anything before that I only know because Shinigami saw it." At the puzzled look on Quatre's face, Duo remembered he'd not explained this new turn of events, and proceeded to do so.

"… and so we're in the same body now, but not the same person. He gets the dragon part, and I get the human part, but we both have some control over the other. It's pretty weird having another person in here…much less an ageless dragon." Duo said, giving a light tap to his forehead in emphasis. Quatre was staring at him, mouth slightly agape, until he schooled himself, and pulled his reactions back down to earth.

"Well, I guess this is certainly something we didn't foresee happening…" He finally replied, bemused. "Maybe this will be better though… we didn't lose you… " He fell silent.

Duo took in a deep breath, and put on a brave face for the little mage. No need to let him see the pain, the breaking.

"Yeah…I'm glad now that no one else got hurt over me." He said softly, placing a hand on the smaller mage's shoulder in comfort. Quatre tried to flash a smile, but it was flat.

_He'll be ok. They'll all be ok. If there is one thing I have learned from my connection with you, it is that your human-kind has a way of persevering, absurd little things that you are._ The dragon's voice was somewhat comforting, and, as Duo reflected while Quatre moved to sit next to Trowa, he would never be alone again. He would, however, see all of his new friends wither and die of old age save for the elf, and even Trowa would probably not live as long as he.

The thought saddened Duo, but he tried to not let it get to him. It was natural. Each thing had their time to come and go. Maybe he would live to their next life. That would surely be an adventure. Of course, he still had the hundred or so years with them now, but there was no telling how much of that he'd actually see them. Everything eventually went their own way in life.

Duo took a deep breath, and released it in a puff of air that stirred his bangs. Well, nothing left to do now save sleep. He'd have an eternity to miss everyone, but for now, he was still weary from the events of a day ago. Weary in mind, heart and body. He didn't know if he'd ever be able to recall that juvenile exuberance into life again.

…

It was well into the night when Duo stirred again. His waking was on the tail of a disturbing dream that had left a turbulent mind in its wake. Finding himself unable to go to sleep again, he sat up, and gave a brief wave to Trowa, who was sitting the watch for the second segment of the night. The elf nodded as the braided youth wandered from the circle of firelight into the darkness. He could take care of himself now, more so than anyone in their camp. Trowa wouldn't have to worry about him.

Duo took a deep breath of the cool night air, scenting the lingering traces of smoke on the breeze. The waxing moon sent only the barest hint of light down to filter through the trees as Duo made his way through them. Shortly, he found himself at the foot of the crest where Heero's funeral pyre had burned so readily only hours before.

Wandering up the incline as if in a daze, the braided youth sat hard next to the burnt rock dais, blinking back the tears that wanted to come. His next breath wavered, and he broke down, leaning forward on the smooth rock, heedless of the ash and still warm char he got on himself. Crossed arms supporting his head, Duo's tears drew salty lines down his sooty face, and he barely held back the urge to scream into the night. That, however, would have brought the others at a run, and he wished this moment to be with him alone. He didn't want them to see how his heart was shattered with loss.

A gust of wind puffed around him, stirring the ashes and blowing them away into the night. The self same wind came back for another go, whistling keenly through the trees, and again rounding on the stone dais. More ash went with it, and Duo looked up to see that, for some reason, there was very little char left on the stone. It was being swept away by the persistent wind, taken to be scattered to the four corners.

"Just as my life has been scattered… his ashes… at least he's…" Duo couldn't bring himself to say that which had always comforted the loved ones left behind. It seemed so cliché, and Duo had decided he would live with the full of his grief. It was only fitting.

Pushing off the dais, Duo turned and started back down the incline.

The fire sprang to life behind him.

Whirling in alarm, the youth saw that the entire dais was consumed in flames. Flames hot enough to melt the stone, and char the air. The dais began to melt back into the earth, red hot and hissing as captured air boiled to the surface, almost shattering the stone into a thousand pieces as it vented.

Duo took several steps back as the flames grew into a tower that reached upwards, swirled into a cone by the prevailing winds.

The firestorm breached the heavens, and continued up. It left the ground then, the tail end of it snapping upwards as the firestorm condensed into a ball, and shot off into the sky, towards the stars.

Duo stared wide eyed after it, watching until the light it cast off disappeared into the darkness. The display had left him a bit shaky, and he sat hard on the ground, bringing his knees up a bit so he could lean his head against them.

After a time, he took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh, and then leaned far back to lay down on the springy grass.

_Come human child, let's leave this place. There is nothing to hold you to these other mortals now._ Shinigami said, a surprisingly gentle presence in his mind. _It will only hurt you more to stay with them, and I wish to be upon the wing once again. Let me show you the joy of my existence._

Duo's eyes rested on the stars as he thought over Shinigami's words. The dragon had a point. Any further life with the others would consist of him hiding what he was really feeling. Maybe leaving wasn't the best idea, but the more he thought over it, the more Duo thought it was best. He wouldn't have to see any more of his friends die, and there was always the chance that he could still go to see them while they lived. Taking another deep breath, Duo finally agreed.

"Ok… we'll go. Just…let me tell Trowa first. So they won't think something else has happened to me." He said softly, pushing himself stiffly off the grass. Moving back down the rest of the incline, he made his way slowly back to camp. Entering the fire lit circle, he was surprised to find that no one else had woken, even after the firestorm. However, thinking back on it then, he realized that the firestorm had not made any sound of its own. No usual accompaniment of the roaring that's even present in a bonfire. Only slightly perplexed, as he'd not questioned the initial presence of the firestorm to begin with, Duo moved around the circle to where Trowa still stood the watch, those green eyes focusing on him as he moved.

The two of them were silent for minutes, and simply being in the company of a fellow friend eased the silence into something that was manageable, despite the taunt-ness the elf could feel in the youth beside him.

"I'm…I'm leaving.." Duo finally said softly. Of all his companions, he knew that Trowa would be the best to take it. No begging to stay, no arguments that it was better if they were all together for a while. The elf simply nodded, firelight glinting off his emerald eyes.

"Are you ever going to come back?" Was Trowa's first quiet response, and Duo nodded.

"Yeah.. I've just got.. a lot on my mind." _Understatement of the year_ he thought in silent accompaniment. "I need some time to just sort it out. Why things happened the way they did."

Trowa nodded silently. "You're not going to wake them, are you." He said, a statement rather than a question that Duo nevertheless answered with a brief shake of his head.

"It's easier this way… I don't think I could do it if they were all looking at me… Besides, giving a greeting is much easier than saying goodbye… I'll apologize the next time I see them."

"Then you won't be saying goodbye.." Trowa said in a rare, brief moment of visible emotion as a small smile rested lightly on his lips. "Saying 'see you for now' is easier than goodbye too, I would think…" He added.

Duo couldn't help but smile at the elf, the ache in his heart for a moment all for the friends he would be leaving. Then, he turned back towards the darkness that surrounded the circle of firelight. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked back at the elf.

"Good journey." Trowa said, then released him. Duo raised a hand in thanks, and with a small smile, again turned, and walked out of the camp.

He once more reached the clearing with the dais, as it was the only such one within immediate walking distance that was large enough to take off from.

He then let Shinigami have control.

Immediately, the darkness closed in around him, growing thicker. Duo felt himself growing, but it was in a disjointed way, as if he experienced it within a dream. The darkness coalesced around him, forming limbs that held so much power. Ebon scales glinted in the wane moonlight, sleek as silk. A creature of darkness holding light at its core. This light shone out of amethyst eyes, able to see through any enchantment, far into the distance, and into the hearts of creatures. For the second time, Duo held the sensation of incredible power, and marveled that any mortal man could capture and contain such a creature, mage or not.

The night called its sweet song, the wind swirling through the trees and over his scaled hide, and he threw wide his monstrous wings.

_This is what I am, little one._ Came the thought. _This is now what we are. Let me show you how little you are leaving behind, and how much you are gaining._

With that thought, Shinigami launched himself upwards, pumping down with those wings, sending a clap of displaced air thundering through the night that would surely wake the others. However, it would be far too late when they arrived at the clearing. Shinigami would already have become one with the sky, a black on black shadow blotting out the stars.

Rising easily on the light winds, Shinigami suddenly stalled out, back winging as something streaked past, a bright object that looked itself like a falling star. Turning that great horned head, he watched the thing reach the ground some hundred feet below, blazing more brightly. It had fallen from the sky…

_Just what is this?_ Shinigami mused.

_Let's go back and find out…_ Duo said, something gripping at his heart. The dragon said nothing, just as interested to see what this falling star was, and descended, coming to an easy landing some distance from the blazing point of light that had fallen within a great clearing.

It was huge, whatever it was. Swathed in flames that burned white, it pulsed, as if with some great heart beat. The flames backed down a bit then, and from the very heart of the star, large golden eyes opened, peering out into the world.

_It is the firebird.._ Shinigami said, head tilted as if he listened to some private conversation within his mind. If Duo had been in his own body, his breath would have caught at the backwash of power the exchange exuded. Even though he shared the same body, he still wasn't dragon-kin. Over time, maybe, they would meld together more, becoming one complete being, but for now, their minds still remained separate enough for him to not understand what the firebird said.

_Enough. You know the answers to these questions._ Shinigami sent, and Duo felt a shift in control as the dragon receded into the back of his mind. _See the boy for yourself._ With these words, the change took place yet again, and Duo found himself standing on his own two feet after only a moment of swirling darkness, baffled as to what was going on.

The golden eyes disappeared into the blaze, and it was with some trepidation that Duo waited for what was to happen next.

The fires died back, receding until only a much smaller point of light remained. This point moved forward, towards Duo, and a vague humanoid shape took form, wreathed in flames and white in color. Then, as if cooling in the night air, the white faded into yellow, then red, and finally settling on a color that was not unexpected, but surprising nevertheless.

Pale skin, messy chocolate hair, and cerulean eyes filled with flame stood before a mystified Duo. He just couldn't believe it. Either his eyes were lying, or this being had taken on the aspect of the person he most wished he could see at that moment.

Heero watched him with that oh so familiar stoic expression. His expression, however, softened after a silent moment.

"…Hn… I said I wouldn't leave you, didn't I?" He said softly, as if that explained all. His voice was the same, but held some almost hidden quality of the phoenix's call from before.

Duo's legs gave out suddenly, and he fell boneless to his knees in the grass

, the terrible tension in his heart easing away slowly, leaving a numb feeling behind.

"…it's…it's really you? …you died.." Duo stammered in a lost voice, eyes haunted.

Heero walked over, kneeling just out of reach, and extending an arm in offering. "I'm real, and alive." He said softly, waiting silently after that as Duo looked at the proffered hand, then slowly, hesitantly, reached up his own hand to lightly touch Heero's warm palm. Something in him broke.

It was with a cry of anguish that Duo then launched himself at Heero, toppling the other youth in his exuberance. It was so familiar to that time… so long ago it seemed. Heero gathered Duo to him, and cradled the sobbing youth, who was choking out words in a rush as if keeping them inside would make him burst.

"I can't believe it… can't believe it. He killed you, then the phoenix… it came back, and Shinigami said your spirit helped to defeat the demon…." He took a breath. "…and we burned your body…I couldn't stand it… couldn't stand not having you here… I wanted to lose myself in Shinigami….forever. It hurt so much,…gods, it hurt." His words lapsed into strangled sobs that shook his narrow frame so hard his chest began to hurt. He clung to Heero with both hands, body curled into the hollow the other youth had created with his body, shivering despite the warmth Heero radiated.

"Shhh.. I'm here now though." Heero said in a comforting whisper, so confident in the face of Duo's tears as compared to the first time he'd held the sobbing youth. "I came back… there's nothing to cry over… come now, look at me." He gently raised Duo's chin so their eyes met, and he saw in an instant just how much grief Duo had suffered. It was all over his face, and so much deeper than the simple crying. It would take time for his heart to mend again, though Heero was quite certain his presence would help greatly. For now, all Duo needed was the comfort, just as he'd always needed it.

Heero grunted lightly, pulling Duo to him in a gentle but fierce hug.

"…you're such an idiot…" He murmured into the night air, letting Duo calm down and rest as the night slowly wore on.

He was the only one of the two of them that was aware of their watchers.

Trowa was the one to 'shoo' the others back to the camp site as things began to quiet down. Quatre was crying with happiness, and the elf threw a comforting arm around him. They had all awakened at the sound of Shinigami taking off, and the falling star's light guided them directly to the heart of the matter. They'd come upon the scene as Shinigami's form had evaporated into nothingness, leaving Duo to face whatever had fallen from the sky.

Now, it was with glad hearts that they returned to camp, leaving the two to the night… and each other.

* * *

... 

Ah yes…. I do so love a happy ending. I had some difficulty coming up with an ending that wasn't overly obvious, and I hope I haven't killed my hard work with a blah reunion chapter.

Well, there's still oooone chapter to go.

OMG, it's almost over! I can't believe it! I'm actually finishing something cough I mean, a long fic brought to an iffy conclusion!

Again, I want to see who would be interested in a sequel. I got a few yes votes, but this has taken so long, I need to hear that people would be interested, because any fic I write is likely to be long, and I already have some unfinished business with a few other projects. I would be totally willing, if people want to read. I think I'd enjoy writing it too… oh, the possibilities are endless!

Soooo, hope everyone has enjoyed so far. If anyone really dislikes this chapter, tell me, and suggest improvements. I don't think I'd be opposed to a rewrite if I got a good enough idea from someone.

Well, ciao for now peeps. See ya in the next, and last installment of Eclipse of Dusk!


	36. Chapter 36

Eclipse of Dusk

By: Hseru

Warnings: Shounen ai 1x2 3x4 5xM

Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power

Chapter 36 -Epilogue

* * *

A joyful reunion and a week after Heero's return, the two of them decided to leave their companions. Duo's decision to leave was merely delayed for a time. 

The journey was easy, and none of the hardships that had befallen before plagued them now. It was like the pains were being washed away from them all as they rode. The return of their once lost commander was like a breath of much needed air in a group that had been holding its breath for Duo's loss.

The day of parting finally came, however, when they crossed over into the main lands of the kingdom who had originally hired Heero and Wufei to take care of its problem.

With happy and sad tears and hugs, the group said their last goodbyes, and parted ways, promising to return at some point. The now smaller group headed for the heart of the kingdom, while Heero and Duo had planned a meeting with a certain mother earth.

…

The journey for the four came to an end as they reached the gates of Havrel. It seemed like it had been a life time since they last had entered the city, and indeed, all four of them had been changed on their journey.

The High Lord of Havrel welcomed them back with a feast to congratulate the 'dragon slayers'. The trade routes were cleared, and commerce between the kingdoms was coming back to the peaceful level of before. As a job well done, the High Lord paid in full the original price agreed upon by Wufei and Heero, plus extra for the 'loss' of two of their comrades. They had enough to rest easy for the completion of their lives.

Wufei and Meiran left the city a few days later, taking part of their share with the intent of traveling. Their parting with Quatre and Trowa was not the potentially sad affair Heero and Duo's parting had been. The pair promised to be back within the next six months or so, with stories to be shared both ways.

Quatre had known they would be leaving. They were both just too boisterous to be content staying in the capital city, resting easy on their fortunes. He felt sorry for anyone who came up against the sword master and warrior maiden, and the thought brought a chuckle to him.

"Something amuses you?" A quiet voice brought the little mage from his reverie. That's right… Wufei and Meiran had left a week ago. It was just him and Trowa who were left in the city, and even then, Quatre knew the elf was eager to be gone from the place as well.

"I was just thinking.. about Wufei and Meiran. I feel sorry for the people they'll encounter." Quatre turned a bright smile to the elf stretched out on the long, ornate sofa. He walked over, sitting next to where he lay. Trowa lifted his head, and rest it upon his hand, propped up on his elbow, that shadow of a smile on his fair features.

"I would have expected you to worry about them, not those they encounter." Trowa jested softly, reaching out a hand to sweep some of those pale blonde bangs from before his angel's aquamarine eyes. Quatre surprisingly enough, caught the hand, and brought it to his lips, kissing the fingers that were slightly calloused from years using a bow.

Trowa suddenly scooped the little mage to him, holding his angel close.

"And what about us? …" Quatre said softly, laying against the taller elf. "I know you don't wish to stay here… but my training isn't complete yet."

"They haven't seen your improvement, my little one. I can tell you've most likely surpassed those who were teaching you." Trowa whispered, and Quatre nodded slightly.

"Maybe… but I need to stay for my testing at least. It is only a month away… if I pass it, I'll be a first class mage, and free to do what I want."

"… very well… I can wait,… if I'm waiting for you."

Quatre was touched at the elf's quiet words, so full of that emotion they'd tried to hide on their journey. Tilting his head up, his eyes met the clear emerald of the elf's, who gazed quietly back at him. Slowly, he leaned upwards, and placed a brief, chaste kiss on Trowa's lips.

Only slightly taken aback by the open show of affection, Trowa easily filled the brief silence afterwards with the sound of his movements as he brought his angel's lips once more to his own, and gave him a deep kiss, one hand at the back of his head, the other holding them together.

They didn't have to hide it anymore.

…

It was on the eve of the third day that they found her.

Riding the Illians along a grassy trail, the earth suddenly opened up before them, and from the depths rose the familiar child-like figure, robed in earthy tones. Dismounting, is was with a smile that Duo walked forward, to bend slightly and take the slender form in his arms in greeting.

"I'm so happy to see you again." He said, leaning back to look into her ageless eyes. Phenris in return looked into the eyes of a once dear friend, and saw two friends now reflected back at her. She smiled, a smile so full of relief and happiness that it literally bloomed upon her face.

"I'm glad things have turned out well for you…. For you both." She amended, looking past Duo to where Heero stood. He nodded in greeting.

"I see you have found your true self my dear." She said, and walked past Duo, letting a hand linger on his shoulder in passing. "It is indeed a good thing. You have been made whole now, even as Shinigami is whole. You are the phoenix, one of the first to be born in countless years." Heero blinked at her words.

"You mean, there really aren't more of them?" He asked.

"Oh yes, there are more. A small number, as with the dragonkin, but more. You are simply the new generation." She smiled, before him now, and reached up a hand to place it comfortingly on his shoulder.

"You will never die of old age. You will go on living, as Shinigami has, forever." She paused, tilting her head to the side. "Can you feel it? The power inside you? It is much the same as it was before, but the range of your abilities has expanded tenfold." She locked eyes with him, leaning forward. "I want you to reach for it now. Fell that fire flow through and around you as is has never done before. Become one with it.." And she stepped back.

Heero looked momentarily confused, then closed his eyes, and searched inside himself for that so familiar spark, only to find that she was right. There was no spark. He _was_ the spark. His entire spirit was infused with the flames he'd always possessed. So, he did as she commanded, and gave the power a tug, willing it into life.

Heero's body burst into crimson flame. It engulfed him, and in an instant, he felt the change. It shaped his limbs, forming them into the form he'd taken once before, only now the change was consciously willed. Before, it had been instinct. Now, as he grew in size, the form of the phoenix, his birthright, took over his human form, and in seconds, he rest in his true-form.

It was exhilarating, so much power. This must be what Duo felt like when he changed. That thought led him to search for the other, and through golden orbs, the great golden firebird sought out Duo, who was smiling brightly beside Phenris.

They were both like this. Part of a whole, and wholly different from all. Yet, they were alike even more so now than ever before. The perfect pair. Perfect forever.

Duo's form melted away, and Shinigami soon stood in place of the youth, ebon scales reflecting the light cast off of the flaming bird.

Shinigami now regarded the flaming creature before him, having long ago accepted it as one of the great powers. Now, because he knew how Duo felt, he came to the grudging acceptance that the Phoenix was probably going to be around for a while, and he couldn't challenge the creature. It galled him only slightly, and he gave a short bow of his head to the Phoenix, who returned it in kind.

Phenris walked over to the great dragon, and stopped by his foreleg, placing a hand upon it in greeting. Shinigami lowered his head until he drew nearly level with her.

_It is good to see you again, mother._ Shinigami said.

The bright smile on the child-like face was overwhelming, and it was much like the air around her reflected the happiness and increased it until the whole area was alive with it.

"My dearest child. I'm so glad you are whole again." She said, running a hand down the scales around one of his eyes.

_Mother?_ Duo's voice echoed in Shinigami's mind.

_She is mother to us all. It is from her that we are all born._ The dragon answered privately. Duo saw flashes of memory as the dragon remembered. Shinigami and Phenris really had known each other for countless years, and Duo watched a montage of a million different times and places flash by him in a split second, his soul reeling from the amount of time he'd just witnessed.

_And now, we will live this time over again. As she lives on, so too will we, until the end of everything brings the universe full circle once more._

It was almost too much to comprehend, but Duo saw that he and Shinigami would not be alone in their never-ending journey. Phenris would be with them… and Heero. And others of the long-lived beings would continue on, fading into the background of history, until they existed in the shadows of memory as myth and legend, caught in the corners of the eyes, phantasmal in nature; sleeping until the time came to rise again and once more claim the world as a land full of magick and wonder.

* * *

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Prologue

Brown eyes glowed yellow in the darkened confines of a small cave. The stench of rancid meat and other malodorous things clogged the senses, and the darkness in the cave whispered madness. A growl was heard from the darkness, and something within that chattering madness moved further back into the cave to avoid the light of day.

_This… this is no end… no end. We will return…. We will conquer…will return… death to those who opposed… _ The words were filled with hatred, and an unnatural power.

_No time… no place to run… We will find you… We will kill you… no matter the time… the place.. kill you… We will find you…_ Then, for a moment, as if the thing had pulled its shattered mind back together long enough to reason.

_The dragon will die… blackness… its dark soul will be consumed… We will return…_

The words fell into nothingness, and were heard by none. The dark energies that still surrounded the once mighty stronghold of a powerful sorcerer kept all potentially prying eyes from seeing the shambling remains of a once living thing, doomed to dark madness.

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* * *

Oh wow… This is the end of Eclipse of Dusk. I can't believe it's over… 

Ah! I'm definitely going to write a sequel to this story. I saw that several of my readers were really excited about one, and truth be told, I liked having something continuously in the works.

As my first fully completed fanfic, I'm so glad EoD had such a great turn out. I want to thank all my readers, and everyone who left me reviews with both constructive criticism, and encouragement. Believe me, they helped me continue this.

And now, for the last question. If you peeps were to name the sequel to EoD, what would you name it? Believe me, it doesn't have to have anything to do with the story…. I'm just really bad at naming stories. --'

Any help would be appreciated, and please look forward to the next installment of EoD!


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